Family-Centered Health Assessment and Promotion

Introduction

Family-centered care is a medical practice aimed at helping all the members of the same family, which is often the case when several problems manifest themselves. The spectrum of intervention may involve different procedures and imply engaging both adults and children in collaborative activities. In the family in question where all members without exception have certain health problems, this type of assistance is obligatory because the current situation is alarming and dangerous.

Identifying the social determinants of health (SDOH) may help find out the key factors that affect the well-being of adults and both children one of whom is in the womb. This work is aimed at developing a special action plan that could help promote healthy habits in the family under consideration and allow developing an appropriate intervention strategy for qualified professionals.

Social Determinants of Health

The background of the analyzed family is rather difficult, and the determination of corresponding SDOHs is a significant task since the specific causes of the problems may be detected. According to Adler, Glymour, and Fielding (2016), these criteria include such indicators as economic stability, social environment, health habits, community context, and education. In relation to the family in question, its social environment, health habits, and economic stability are the most significant factors.

Firstly, the almost complete lack of contact with other people affects the participants of the assessment negatively because natural communication is not maintained, and psychological issues occur. Secondly, those health habits that were formed in adulthood do not allow parents to interact normally, which may be due to hereditary predisposition and an example from their personal families. Finally, the level of income is another component of SDOHs since the lack of money hampers the normal development of all members. As a result, rather extensive work should be carried out with the participants.

Age-Appropriate Screenings

Since each member of the family in question has certain health problems, screening procedures are needed to determine the nature of optimal interventions. For instance, Peter has a pronounced tendency to deviant behavior under the influence of alcohol, and in order to prevent the development of associated diseases, for example, the cirrhosis of the liver, it is essential to test the functions of his body. In addition, working with a psychologist is necessary in order to find out the main motives for such a lifestyle.

For Anne, Peter’s wife, more complex screening procedures are needed. Since the woman experiences the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, psychiatric consultation is mandatory. The situation is complicated by the fact that Anne is pregnant with her second child, and as Muzik et al. (2016) argue, “maternal stress hormones during pregnancy modulate fetal stress hormone reactivity” (p. 585). In addition, a hereditary tendency to corpulence and high blood pressure carries an additional threat to the woman’s health. Since she has type 2 diabetes, her blood sugar level should be checked constantly, and consultation with a nutritionist is desirable.

Finally, for Alan, Peter, and Ann’ three-year-old child, work with specialists from a correctional center is necessary. Since the boy has signs of developmental delay, the degree of his social adaptation is to be checked through conversations and involvement in gaming activities. The help of a child psychologist can also be useful because the child rarely communicates with parents, which affects his cognitive development negatively.

Health Model

As a method of helping the family members, a social cognitive model will be chosen. According to Smith, Felix, Benight, and Jones (2017), this framework helps people cope with the effects of stress and violence. The choice of such a model is due to the fact that the adult family members suffer from depressive disorders, and their child has difficulties in socialization. Work aimed at eliminating the effects of mental deviations is an effective mechanism that may allow parents to establish contact with their son and contribute to the birth of a healthy second child. As Smith et al. (2017), this model implies self-regulation as one of the significant components of interpersonal interaction. Therefore, such a framework is a valuable tool to help the family in question.

Steps for Family-Centered Health Promotion

In order to provide real assistance, the following steps for family-centered health promotion are offered as a plan of action:

1. To organize contact with psychologists, including both family sessions and individual therapies.
2. To involve the husband in the treatment program for alcohol addiction and to stimulate his desire to apply for a job.
3. To provide care for the wife and engage specialists of different profiles, including a psychologist, an endocrinologist, and a nutritionist.
4. To create an appropriate educational environment for the child so that he could receive the necessary information for development and could contact peers.
5. To monitor the family after the birth of the second child and control his or her development.

Conclusion

The considered action plan aimed at promoting healthy habits and social adaptation of the family has clearly expressed emphasis on individual work since each of the participants in the assistance program has personal problems. Relevant screenings are needed to identify the spectrum of work to be done. As a health model, a social cognitive framework will be applied. The action plan includes individual interventions and helps to restore the normal lifestyle of the family members.

References

Adler, N. E., Glymour, M. M., & Fielding, J. (2016). Addressing social determinants of health and health inequalities. Jama, 316(16), 1641-1642. Web.

Muzik, M., McGinnis, E. W., Bocknek, E., Morelen, D., Rosenblum, K. L., Liberzon, I.,… Abelson, J. L. (2016). PTSD symptoms across pregnancy and early postpartum among women with lifetime PTSD diagnosis. Depression and Anxiety, 33(7), 584-591. Web.

Smith, A. J., Felix, E. D., Benight, C. C., & Jones, R. T. (2017). Protective factors, coping appraisals, and social barriers predict mental health following community violence: A prospective test of social cognitive theory. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 30(3), 245-253. Web.