The"Pain"of Medical Treatment and the"Help"of Social Work:Observation and Analysis on the Case Work about the Subjectivity Reshaping of Cancer Patients
Cancer has become one of the main diseases that threaten human life safety. Cancer patients often suffer physical pain and torment,which can trigger patients and the public to rethink the meaning of treatment and the value of life. The diagno-sis and treatment model for cancer in modern medicine is comprehensive and universal. Doctors generally adopt comprehensive methods such as surgery,chemotherapy,radiation therapy,and targeted therapy based on the patient's physical condition and the type of tumor,in order to improve the patient's survival rate. Controlling the growth of cancer cells,preventing disease progression,and reducing the pain of cancer patients are important goals of modern medical cancer treatment. However,in the practices and observations,for cancer patients,the rational and specialized general medical diagnosis and treatment model,which originally aimed to alleviate pain and help restor health,usually weakens their subjectivity in unexpected ways in the treatment practice. it mainly manifested in the generation and strengthening of unequal relationships in doctor-patient interaction,the regulation on patients from the structured time and spatial arrangement of hospital,and the lack of patient opinion expression under the pure rational management in the hospital. The consequence is the weakening of patient subjectivity,including the decrease in self-efficacy,weakened interpersonal relationships,and a disease-centered lifestyle of patients. How to understand and respond to the impact of rational medical diagnosis and treatment on the subjectivity of cancer patients is a question worthy of deep attention.In the academic circle,the intervention of social work in cancer patients has received much attention from many researchers. The relevant research generally focuses on four aspects:firstly,it focuses on the end-of-life care and humanistic care services for late stage cancer patients. Secondly,focus on the psychological and emotional issues of cancer patients during diagnosis and treatment. Thirdly,focus on the role and function of social workers in helping cancer patients to seek the meaning and value of life. Fourthly,explore the spiritual care services provided by social workers to cancer patients. These studies provide us with many insights on how to help cancer patients by the method of social work,however,the existing researches mainly focus on the physical pain and mental stress of cancer patients,while neglecting the examination of the subjectivity of cancer patients,which are the efforts,potential,and ability of patients as active individuals to participate into the medical treatment,and then recovery as"normal social beings".The restoration and reconstruction of the subjectivity of the case owner is an important goal of medical social work intervention. This article based on a sociological observation of a case study of patient L at D Hospital,examined and analyzed how the intervention of medical social work can help patients reshape their weakened subjectivity. In this research,Medical social worker developed a scientific action plan,and scientifically evaluated the main problems faced by the case owner L through indepth observation and multiple interviews:personal level problems Mainly manifested as the enhanced self-denial,and the reduced agency;Interpersonal issues Mainly manifested as the weakened communication and connections;Social issues Mainly manifested as the insufficient social participation and assistance.After the intervention of medical social workers,Researchers can clearly observe or find the changes that social worker intervention brings to the case owner. Specifically,medical social work can help patients reshape their subjectivity and restore their sense of meaning and identity to some extent as"normal social individuals" through three aspects of empowerment:personal cognition and knowledge,interpersonal interaction and emotion,social participation and institutional assistance.It means that the patients can break free from mental confinement,their interpersonal relationships are restored and expanded,and they become members of the community and participate in social life and services actively. For case owner L,all the changes after the intervention of medical social work services also can be supported and certified by herself,her family and some other individuals.Briefly to say,when facing the unexpected"pain"caused by rational medical diagnosis and treatment,professional medical social worker services can provide useful assistance for patients to overcome the shadow of disease and pain,and restore their subjectivity as normal members of society. So in the dimension of research innovation,this article provided and presented a new approach to the research on the medical social work of cancer. Compared to the normative discussions or technical practical exercises on major disease issues in existing social work research,this study may provide valuable insights for us to carry out social work research innovatively. For example,it is necessary to use sociological analysis methods in social work research to extend the explanatory chain,making the process of grasping and intervening in the case owner's problem more scientific and effective in social work practice,and helping social workers respond more effectively to public doubts about the effectiveness of social work.
万方数据
