How can emotional intelligence help Case Managers identify social determinants of health?
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— The LinkedIn Team
Case management is a complex and dynamic profession that requires a range of skills and competencies, such as communication, coordination, advocacy, problem-solving, and ethical decision-making. However, one of the most important and often overlooked skills that case managers need is emotional intelligence (EI). EI is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one's own and others' emotions, as well as to use emotions to guide effective actions and interactions. In this article, we will explore how EI can help case managers identify and address the social determinants of health (SDOH) that affect their clients' well-being and outcomes.
SDOH are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age that influence their health and quality of life. They include factors such as income, education, employment, housing, transportation, social support, culture, and access to health care and services. SDOH can have a significant impact on the health risks, behaviors, and outcomes of individuals and communities, especially for those who face systemic barriers and disadvantages. Case managers need to be aware of the SDOH that affect their clients and how they can influence their needs, goals, preferences, and resources.
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Deborah Akano
Data Analytics || Social Work || GBV Case Management
Social determinants of Health are social factors caused by the society that positively or negatively influences the health of individuals and members of the society. These social factors are influenced by tradition, culture, religion and beliefs of an individual towards his or her health. For example, in the Eastern part of Nigeria, it is believed that when a husband dies, the dead body is washed and the water is then given to the widowed wife to drink to prove that she is innocent and did not kill her husband; some women have drank this water and fallen sick, some have even died in ignorance, especially after if the dead body has been embalmed before washing the body. Culture certainly plays a big role in the health of Individuals.
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Suraj Prakash Shankar
Clinical Research Associate I @ Fortrea (Labcorp Drug Development)
Emotional intelligence can definitely help Case Managers in identifying social determinants of health. By being emotionally intelligent, Case Managers can effectively connect with individuals, understand their emotions, and build trust. This allows them to gather more accurate information about their social circumstances, such as housing, education, and access to healthcare. With this deeper understanding, Case Managers can better address the social determinants of health and provide appropriate support.
Case managers can benefit from using emotional intelligence (EI) to help identify social determinants of health (SDOH). EI can enable them to actively and attentively listen to their clients' stories, concerns, and emotions, while also asking open-ended and respectful questions. Furthermore, they should be able to observe and interpret both verbal and non-verbal cues that may indicate underlying feelings, needs, or issues. Additionally, case managers should express genuine interest, compassion, and support for their clients while adapting their communication style and approach based on their clients' preferences, needs, and cultural backgrounds. By using EI skills, case managers can create a trusting and collaborative relationship with their clients which will allow them to gain a deeper understanding of the SDOH that affect their health and well-being.
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Deborah Akano
Data Analytics || Social Work || GBV Case Management
Case Managers can greatly benefit from using emotional intelligence (EI) to help identify social determinants of health through effective listening (verbal and non-verbal) of client's concerns while displaying empathy and showing a sincere interest in attending to the client and offering possible solutions that the client agrees with.
EI can help case managers address SDOH by enabling them to plan, implement, and evaluate interventions tailored to their clients' needs, goals, and resources. This can involve involving clients in the assessment, planning, and decision-making process while respecting their autonomy. Additionally, EI can help case managers identify and prioritize the SDOH that are most relevant and feasible to address, as well as coordinate with other professionals who can provide support. Furthermore, case managers can monitor and follow up on the progress of interventions while providing feedback to their clients. Lastly, they can review and revise the interventions as needed based on changing needs and circumstances. By using EI skills, case managers can deliver client-centered and evidence-based interventions that address the SDOH and improve their clients' health and quality of life.
Case management can be a rewarding yet stressful and demanding profession, as case managers often encounter complex, challenging, and emotionally charged situations like trauma, abuse, violence, poverty, discrimination, or injustice. They may also experience high workloads, time pressures, ethical dilemmas, role conflicts, and organizational constraints. These factors can take a toll on their mental and emotional health, leading to stress, burnout, compassion fatigue, or vicarious trauma. Emotional Intelligence (EI) can help case managers cope with stress and burnout by improving their ability to regulate their own emotions and seek and use social support. EI can assist case managers in recognizing and acknowledging their own emotions; managing and expressing their emotions in healthy ways; practicing self-care and self-compassion; seeking and using social support from colleagues, supervisors, friends or family; and learning from their experiences. By using EI skills, case managers can boost their resilience and well-being while preventing or reducing the negative effects of stress and burnout.
Case managers can develop their emotional intelligence (EI) skills by engaging in self-awareness, self-reflection, and self-improvement activities. This could involve taking online assessments or quizzes that measure their EI levels and domains, seeking feedback from clients, colleagues, supervisors, or mentors on their EI skills and performance, setting goals for improvement, seeking learning opportunities, and practicing and applying their EI skills in their daily life. Through these activities, case managers can enhance their professional competence and confidence, as well as advance their career and personal growth.
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Deborah Akano
Data Analytics || Social Work || GBV Case Management
Case Managers can develop their EI skills through practicing Empathy, self awareness, being motivated by stories that inspire, self-regulation and developing their social skills