SOCIAL PROBLEMS:

• Their are two types of Problems.

1. Individual problems:

Affects large population.

2. Social problems:

1. Current Social Problems:-

• Drug addiction/ dependence.
  
• Alcoholism.
• Sexually Transmitted Disease.
• Vagrancy.
• Juvenile Delinquency.
  
• Prostitution.

2. Social Health Problems:-

A disease may be termed as social problem and its social relevance become quite high when following happens.

• When it has got predominant behavioral component in its causation
• When its widespread over large geographic area and affects many( î incidence, î prevalence).

3. Social Health Problems:-

• It is severe & mortality is very high
• Leads to permanent disability & crippling
• Leads to discrimination & ostracism
• When it disrupts trade, affects the economy of nation
• Primarily economically productive population is affected.
• Growth & development of young children is affected
• When treatment is out of reach for many
• When the disease is incurable

Social Problems & their behavioral component_-

Social Problems Behavioral Component

• Population Explosion * High fertility, Early marriage, Non-acceptance of contraceptive.
• Adverse sex-ratio or falling child sex ratio * Female feticide, Infanticide, Gender bias
• Smoking & tobacco & alcohol abuse * Habit of smoking in the family or peer group, social acceptability, seen
  as a social status.
• Accidents & suicides * Rash driving, disobeying traffic rules, driving under influence of alcohol,
  drugs or stress.

Prostitution: -

• Urban social problem.
• Age old social evil.

Causes:-

• Changes in environment
• Breakdown of inter family relations
• Parental discord
• Lack of affection
• Illegitimacy
• Easy access to money & wealth
• Low I.Q.
• Low morale
• Poverty

GOI passed:-

“The suppression of immoral traffic Act in women & girls”≠bans it in commercialized organized form

• Amended & Ratified on 1986 as “Immoral Traffic (Prevention)Act”.

Delinquency: -

• Delinquent:*
• one showing deviation from normal behavior & has committed an offence
• Theft, sexual assault, murder, burglary - Great social problem

Causes of delinquency: -

• Social mal-adjustment
• Poverty - Disturbed home
• Drug addiction
• Alcoholism
• Adoption of modern life styles

Dowry System:-

Innocent Custom Social Evil

• Control through: “ Dowry Prohibition (Amendment) Act, 1986
• Min. Punishment for taking/ abetting dowry: 5 yrs or rigorous imprisonment & a fine of Rs.15,000/
• Well sustained effort needed to root out such evils.

Drug Addiction:-

• State of periodic/chronic intoxication detrimental to the individual & society
• produced by repeated intake of habit-forming drugs.

Precipitating Factors:-

• Curiosity & natural tendency to experiment with drugs
• Disturbed domestic environment: broken home, lack of communication between parents & children,
• Escapism from tensions & frustrations
• Adoption of western life styles
• Punks)
• Ignorance about ill effects of drugs 16

Drug addict:-

a) Psychosocial dependence: overpowering desire to take the drug & obtain it by any means
b) Physical dependence: if withdrawn, patient develops withdrawal symptom: irrational & violent behavior, nausea, diarrhea, watering of eye & nose
** c) Development of tolerance: tendency to increase the dose**

Management:

a) Identification of drug addicts & their motivation for drug detoxification
** b) Detoxification following hospitalization**
** c) Post-detoxification: counselling & follow-up :clinics,home visit**

• Simultaneous Changes in environment: home,school, college
• Psychotherapy

Preventive measures:-

Education of target groups through:

• Television
• Radio
• Leaflets
• Posters
• Creation of mass awareness “Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substance Act” 1985 19

Alcohol Abuse: -

• world-wide social& medical problem
• Rapid socio-economic & cultural changes alcohol seen as symbol of prestige & social status
• î in consumption & frequency

Consequences: -

• Crime
• Murder
• Prostitution
• Malnutrition
• Neglect of family life
• Unemployment
• î debt
• Delinquency
• RTA
• Cirrhosis, alcoholic psychosis, alcohol dependency

Prevention:-

• Timely identification of risk factors
• Wide ranging public education, dialogue & investigation of public attitude
• Social welfare
• Improved health services

Unmarried Mothers:-

• strict social custom
• Unfavorable tradition
• Insignificant problem in India

Special Needs:-

• MTP
• Health risks
• Medical guidance
• counseling
  
  Author: Mashooq Ur Rehman @mashooq