On the Association between Health and Social Problems in the Population. II. The Influence of Medical Care Problems

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Abstract
The basic data for this paper were secured from 231 families in the Arsenal Health District in Pittsburgh who were known to social agencies and were active cases between June, 1950 and December, 1951, although data on 504 families who were closed on the books of the agencies prior to June, 1950 were also examined. An attempt was made to determine how much of the relationship between health and social-welfare agencies is due to the frequency of medical care problems which are the main reason for contact with the social agency. Of the basic group of 231 families, problems were classified as follows: medical care only, 26.8%; behavior and family care only, 34.2%; employment only, 5.6%; medical care, behavior, and family, 8.7%; medical care and employment, 13.0%; behavior, family and employment, 3.5%; medical care, behavior, and family and employment, 8.2%. Of the medical problems, the largest number fell into the chronic-disease and old-age group and 2/3 of this group fell into the medical care, only, group. More families with health problems have contact with social agencies for reasons other than medical care than do families without health problems. The observed association therefore, appears not to be due solely to the reflection of the medical care activities of the social agencies but to some extent must be independent of these activities and programs. The question is raised, and not answered, as to whether the health problems or the social-welfare problems are the cause of the appearence of the other type of problems.

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