Social Influences on Health Sally is being treated for clinical depression. She has spent significant periods of time in institutionalized care settings for people who have mental health issues. She...

Social Influences on Health

Sally is being treated for clinical depression. She has spent significant periods of time in institutionalized care settings for people who have mental health issues. She has seen two psychiatrists and attended a number of group therapy programs aimed at helping her set achievable life goals including finding meaningful work. Her two children are currently cared for by their grandmother as Sally has been unable to provide a stable home environment for them. Sally left her physically abusive husband when her second child was 2 years of age. She had no paid employment and was unable to secure rental accommodation as the family had been blacklisted by real estate agents as a result of the damage to property caused by her husband in previous rentals. She now sleeps between two of her friends’ houses. She has become significantly overweight, a common side effect of the medication she has been prescribed. This has led to a further decrease in her self-esteem and has made it more difficult for her to be physically active. Her GP (general practitioner or primary care provider) has just told her that she is now prediabetic and must lose weight.