Social Workers' Role in Combating the New Epidemic of Type 2 Diabetes in Children: Clinical Interventions at the Hall Family Center for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes

Abstract

A variety of modalities can be employed by social work within the hospital setting to combat the phenomenon of obesity and the type 2 diabetes that it triggers in children. These issues are now plaguing our pediatric population. Social workers can provide meaningful interventions to foster needed lifestyle changes. These may include a combination of individual, family, group, and outreach medical education modalities, as well as provision of concrete services such as food stamps. Social workers are uniquely qualified to evaluate and address the underlying psychosocial stressors that may be obstacles to a child's successful adherence to recommended medical protocol. In the urban clinical setting of the Hall Family Center at Mount Sinai, offering a “menu” of flexible options has helped to engage families and motivate patients to adopt new healthy habits.