Sociomedical development work at a social welfare office in a metropolitan area. A preliminary report.

Abstract

The physicians of the Sociomedical Clinic at Malmö General Hospital each serve ten hours a week at the local social welfare offices in Malmö. The better part of the time is devoted to thorough examination and evaluation with a view to socio-medical rehabilitation of long-term clients of the social welfare offices. The article presents a part of a survey concerning 101 patients who have received such socio-medical rehabilitation. The survey is based on material in records from hospitals, the social welfare offices (concerning social welfare, alcoholism and child welfare), the county regional employment board and the state social insurance office. The material has been structured according to a questionnaire and then statistically arranged. The article gives a picture of the patients' social and medical backgrounds as well as their status at the commencement of rehabilitation. The article furthermore discusses the cooperation between the open social and medical care on the basis of data obtained in the survey.