Planning and Implementing the Protocol for Psychosocial Interventions by Social Workers in Iranian Healthcare Centers against COVID-19

ABSTRACT

The present study aims to plan the protocol for providing psychosocial support by social workers in Iranian healthcare centers and reaching consensus in terms of implementing and offering comprehensive service to individuals dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative study consists of four phases. The first phase, the literature review involved studying valid databases, while the second and third phases consisted of collecting data through the Focus Group Discussions with 23 specialists and experts in the field of social work and mental health. Having been designed, the protocol was then applied and assessed for two months in all the state health centers around Iran (633 hospitals). In the present study, Interventions used by the social workers were divided into 9 types: psychosocial assessment, counseling, training, working with the family, intervention in the crisis, intra- and extra-organizational support-seeking, referral and safe discharge. Interventions used by social workers were also divided based on the health center (psychosocial support for the target groups and bereavement intervention for the survivors) and the services offered in convalescent care facilities. This protocol leading social workers into the fields of bereavement interventions, inter-organizational interventions, working with families and working with the medical staff.

KEYWORDS:

• Psychosocial interventions
• COVID-19
• social prevention
• social rehabilitation
• mental health

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. After the spread of COVID-19, patients discharged from hospitals required follow-up care at home, and some patients lacked the proper place for the subsequent care. For this reason, medical universities around Iran established temporary healthcare facilities so as to accommodate, care for and train the patients who had consented to spend time in them. In such facilities, volunteer members specializing in social work offer social services under the supervision of the social work office of the ministry of health.

2. A circular was issued by the ministry of health at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic forbidding visits to the patients. Any visits to the patients has therefore been distant and under the supervision of the social workers of the medical centers.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.