Exploring Social Workers' Use of the Socioecological Model as an Intervention and Research Framework for Treating Overweight or Obese Clients

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the empirical contribution made by the social work profession in the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity. The constructs of the socioecological model of health, which suggest that there are multiple levels of influence on individual behaviors, were used as a conceptual framework to synthesize studies authored by social work researchers investigating overweight and obesity risk factors. A review of obesity-related research written by social workers published over an unrestricted time was conducted. The author found 51 articles in published peer-review journals written by social workers from 1993 to 2013. The reviewed studies included participants living in the United States, China, Israel, and Australia. Findings indicate that the majority of research conducted by social workers address overweight and obesity treatment and consequences at the individual level, and there is little on how social workers plan to address this issue from community-level or policy-related perspectives. This review is the first comprehensive study of social workers' empirical coverage of varying levels of influences affecting obesity. Practice and policy implications are discussed for social work professionals employed in community settings.

An Evaluation of the Obesity Phenomenon in the Context of Social Work Theories

“…The Ecological Approach (Davison & Birch, 2001) has been used to provide a framework for understanding the role of multiple interventions on obesity outcomes by examining the synergistic environmental interactions through which behaviors occur. The approach can be used by social workers to assess risks and potential strategies at the micro, meso and macro levels when working with overweight and obese clients suffering from chronic diseases (Melius, 2015). Melius (2015) analyzed the content of 51 articles and examined the factors affecting obesity in each article within the framework of the ecological approach.…”

“…The approach can be used by social workers to assess risks and potential strategies at the micro, meso and macro levels when working with overweight and obese clients suffering from chronic diseases (Melius, 2015). Melius (2015) analyzed the content of 51 articles and examined the factors affecting obesity in each article within the framework of the ecological approach. According to this study, twelve of these 51 articles pointed to social factors, seven to interpersonal relationships, fifteen to societal effects and thirty-six to individual effects.…”

Theorising in the social care sector: conceptualising theory development by frontline workers as they mobilise knowledge to improve outcomes

“…This framework assists with developing, evaluating, translating and advocating for change in order to improve outcomes for vulnerable people. Frontline workers are impacted by multiple factors across all levels of the SEM, including individual, community, institution and policy (Melius, 2015), which can interfere with their perceived agency as they theorise about their families.…”

Stakeholder perspectives on the Kisoboka intervention: A behavioral and structural intervention to reduce hazardous alcohol use and improve HIV care engagement among men living with HIV in Ugandan fishing communities

“…Normalization and social reinforcement of heavy alcohol use among fisherfolk men ( Sileo et al, 2016a ) occurs at multiple levels of the socioecological model ( Melius, 2015 ; Olaniyan et al, 2021 ): individual/intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental/structural. Social norms around the acceptability of this behavior ( Ssebunnya et al, 2020 ), easy access to alcohol in fishing communities (availability), and a surplus of cash from the lucrative fishing industry (affordability) have all been identified as facilitators of heavy drinking among fisherfolk men ( Kuteesa et al, 2022 ).…”