Family practices and values can influence the health promoting and disease preventing behavior of the individuals in the family. One can observe this in the families we encounter in day to day life. For example, obese parents tend to have obese children. Parents can influence the child’s lifestyle choices. The contribution of the family to the child’s health begins from how they decide to plan their family, prenatal care and post-natal care. Children who are breastfed by their mother for the first 6 months, tend to be in better health when compared to children who are not breastfed. The behavior and choices made by parents can affect their children. (Edelman, Kulzma, & Mandle, 2014)
Mental disorders and substances abuse are high in children who hail from families with discord. Negative health habits like alcoholism and tobacco use are often learned and established at an early age by observing parents who engage in this behavior. The concept of self, sexuality, positive awareness of personal strength and self-esteem, are also fostered in the family climate generated by its members. Thus, the family has an important role in promoting and reinforcing health promoting behavior. (Edelman, Kulzma, & Mandle, 2014)
During the assessment process, nurses try to identify the family’s role and attitude towards promoting health behavior in its members. Nurses can identify strengths within the family that will help to generate low-risk behavior. My general observation is that people who have healthy behavior, tend to associate themselves with those who have healthy behavior. Alcoholics or individuals who are addicted to the substance, tend to have friends who have similar habits, thus reinforcing the behavior. For this reason, any interventional effort must be made targeting the group and the family.
References
Edelman, C., Kulzma, E., & Mandle, L. (2014). Health promotion throughout the life span (8th ed.). Missouri: Elseiver.
