Family health

Introduction to Family health

Dr.Fatima Al-Khalidi
M.B.Ch.B,F.I.C.M.S/C.M.

Introduction

The family is the unit of service in all health care delivery.
The health of one member affects the welfare of other members in the family.
Every family is unique and it is affected by every aspect of community life.
The health service providers has to understand family ways, traditions, customs and beliefs of the family.

Family health

Is part of community health
Is more than the sum of personal health of individual
Is a unit of health care

Definition of Family

“Family is a group of biologically-related persons living together and sharing the common kitchen and purse.”
“Family is group of two or more persons related by birth, marriage, or adoption and residing together in a household”
US Bureau of Census 1980


The term “family” has been viewed in number of ways:
Biologist view:
Psychologist view:
Economics views:
Sociologist views

Family Health:

“a state of positive interaction between family members which enables each members of the family to enjoy optimum physical, mental, social and spiritual well being.”

“The health status of the family as a unit including the impact of the health of one member of the family on the family as a unit and on individual family members; also, the impact of family organization or disorganization on the health status of its members.” Online medical dictionary

Functions of the family:

Socialization of family members.
economic stability.
sexual needs.
care of dependent members.
emotional support for members.
satisfy social, intellectual, emotional and psychological needs of members.

Contd.

Teaches children rules for behaviour and socially approved conduct.
Provides members with sense of family identifications.
Sickness role, interactions among family members in health, disease, counselling and rehabilitation.


Determinants of family health
Living and working conditions
Physical environment,
Psycho-social environment
Education and economic factors
health practices
Cultural factors
Gender etc.

Scope and components of family health

• Problems faced by family:
• Broken homes, drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, disability and rehabilitation, unmarried mothers, teenage pregnancy
• 2. Reproductive health

Contd.

3. Child health
Child bearing, rearing,
Child health services: nutrition, immunization, Growth monitoring
Mortality and mortality of children
Social problems of children:
Child abuse
Abandoned or street children
Child labour
Juvenile delinquency
battered baby syndrome


Contd.
4. Gender issues in family:
Girls trafficking, Gender mainstreaming, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), female feticide (sex-selective abortion),
5. Aging:
Problems of ageing, active ageing
6. Mental health:
situation of mental health, its causes and prevention, National mental health policy

Roles of family and peer group in health

As there is a famous proverb, “The secret of health lies in the family”, a family can plays various roles to uplift the health status of its members. The family role may be summarized as bellow:
Family as a teacher:
Family as a health service provider:
Family as a counselor:

Contd.

Family as a motivator:
Family as a monitor:
Family as a trainer:
Family as a controller:
Family as a care taker:


peer group
A group of friends or associates usually of similar background social status and age who are likely to influence a person's beliefs and behaviour
Members of a particular peer group often have similar interests and backgrounds, bonded by the premise of sameness.
Peer groups offer the chance to discuss interests that adults may not share with their children

Role of Peer group in health

Serve as a source of health information
Help to reduce mental stress and anxiety
Help to be acquainted on physical and emotional changes
Give support in acute as well as chronic illness
Give support to during disability

Contd.

Though Peer group may have very positive roles on health but in many circumstances there may be very harmful consequences on health like -substance abuse, involvement in criminal activity and sexual abuse.

Responsibilities of family in health and disease:

• Child rearing
• Socialization
• Personality formation
• Care of dependant adult:
• Care of sick and injured
• Care of pregnant and childbirth
• Care of aged and handicapped
• Stabilization of adult personality
• Familial susceptibility to diseases
• Broken homes
• Problem family


Responsible parenthood
Responsible Parenthood is the core responsibilities of parents to provide the needs of the children they have in terms of the aspects in life.
It refers to the will, ability and commitment of parents to respond to the needs and aspirations of the family and children.
It is the act of putting the needs of the child over self.

Parenting

Definition:
“Parenting or child rearing is the process of promoting and supporting the physical, emotional, social and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood.”
Parenting is usually done by the biological parents of the child although governments and society take a role as well.
In many cases, orphaned or abandoned children receive parental care from non-parent blood relations.

Parenting may be influenced by various factors as:

Social class
Economic status
Education etc.

Parenting styles

Authoritarian (very rigid and strict)
Authoritative ( positive reinforcement)
Permissive (freedom & autonomy)
Uninvolved (physically, emotionally not supportive)


Role and responsibilities of parent:
A parent must:
Protect his/her young from physical harm.
Provide physical necessities, such as food, water, clothing protection from the ailments.
Provide emotional necessities.
Assist with education in preparation for the child to become a productive adult.
Provide moral guidance so that the child can turn out to be a responsible adult.

Parenting education

Parenting education is a course or programme which is given to raising successful children, creating competent, confident parents, and building strong families and communities.
With love, limits, and lots of involvement, parents can have a major influence in developing happy, healthy and well-behaved children.

Contd.

A parent education program is a course that can be followed to correct and improve a person's parenting skills, such courses may be general, covering the most common issues parents may encounter, or specific, for infants, toddlers, children and teenagers.
These courses may also be geared towards parents who are considering having a child, or adopting one, or are pregnant.

Assessment of Risks to Poor at Critical Life-Cycle Stages

A life cycle perspective in health

Actions, both positive and negative, taken at one stage in a woman’s life can and will affect her throughout her life.
For example:
Exclusive breastfeeding during the first 4-6 months provides infants with the antibodies and nourishment needed to begin a healthy life.
A woman who develops a reproductive tract infection and does not receive appropriate treatment can become infertile.
Girls fed inadequately during childhood may have stunted growth, leading to higher risk of obstructed labor.
A child who got appropriate caring during his/her childhood may develop intellectually as well as physically throughout life.


A example of life cycle perspective in MCH issues



Over the years, women’s health needs have been addressed through maternal and child health programmes, focusing primarily on narrow aspect of their lives.
With this perspectives, women’s health is now being viewed holistically – as a continuum of care that starts before birth and progresses cumulatively throughout her life.
This lifecycle approach extends beyond women’s reproductive role to encompass women’s health at every stage and in every aspect of their lives.
Through this approach, other health issues affecting women that were previously overlooked, or thought not to exist, have become more apparent.