ABSTRACT
In terms of age, gender, ethnicity, living arrangements and education levels the proportions were similar when social work and non social work groups were compared. The differences between the social work and non social work patients were in relation to marital status and income. The highest numbers of respondents were classified as having circulatory system (21%) or musculoskeletal system disorders (18%). Another large group of patients were classified under female reproductive or pregnancy and related conditions (19%). There were more social work patients than non social work patients with disorders in the areas of nervous system, musculoskeletal, skin and breast, kidney, and infectious diseases. The preliminary analysis of normal probability plots of the decision making scales revealed that none of the scales met the assumption of normal distribution. Each scale was examined for the potential to approximate normal distribution.
