Introduction
The connection between people and their families has been widely studied for a long time. The climate within the family has an undeniable effect on the health of its members (Kaakinen, Coehlo, Steele, & Robinson, 2018). Understanding the structure, lifestyle, attitude towards health, nutrition, and other factors is essential for caring for the patient and their family. However, in practice, the information during the interview process is rarely collected in sufficient detail (Wu et al., 2019). While conducting a formal family interview helps to determine the strengths of the family’s moral and physical health, paying attention to weaknesses in family health is also important. As a result, this information allows understanding and guidance for the family.
Main body
The assessment of the microsystem shows that the interviewed family includes four members: two parents and two sons. All of the family members are Caucasian, with an average (or slightly above average) income. The father has his own company, the main activity of which is grain trading, and he drives daily for work. The mother has raised sons and was at home most of the time, but now she works close to home. The oldest son works in the field of trading, while the youngest son has recently graduated from the university and is now looking for a job (Jones, personal interview, September 16, 2020). The mesosystem assessment for the family consists of identifying the environment and the religious affiliation (Zator Estes, Calleja, Theobald, & Harvey, 2019). The family lives in a multi-story building in a central part of town, which has several hospitals and the physicians of all specialties. The family members embrace Islam.
According to the interview responses, the functional health pattern strength is in vegetable nutrition, which provides vitamins, acids, minerals, and trace elements, strengthening the immune system. Apart from it, the strength is in getting enough sleep, which has a positive effect on the performance of the whole body. The physical activities such as playing volleyball and walking reduce the risk of heart attack and normalize weight. Moreover, the strength functional health patterns also include good cognitive indicators, the absence of memory problems, the ability to handle stress, and the trust within the family.
As far as health problems and health barriers concerned, they include the lack of restrictions on sugar consumption, adaptability to new situations, and the presence of vision and hearing problems. According to the family systems theory, any change in one member of the family affects all the others (Wu et al., 2019). Therefore, to solicit positive changes in family members’ functions, it is necessary to limit sugar consumption, learn to adapt to new situations and pay attention to eliminating problems with vision and hearing.
Currently, the health of the family may be outlined as decent, even though there are no specific restrictions when it comes to products high in sugar and carbs. This means that every member of the family should pay closer attention to what they eat and how it affects their health. Otherwise, they could be exposed to the adverse influence of diabetes or concomitant heart diseases. As of now, there may be no specific recommendations provided to the family owing to the lack of negative behavioral patterns that could damage their health. The family systems theory could be applied to the current family to help the sons build a closer connection to their father. This could be achieved by proposing group activities that would involve all family members and promote teamwork and desire to find ways to establish effective communication.
Conclusion
To conclude, conducting a family interview helps to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the family’s health, to which the patient and their family should pay attention. The importance of the connection between individuals and their families is undeniable while working in partnership with families in the healthcare system is crucial. Currently, it is necessary to actively disseminate such a practice and collect information during interviews comprehensively to significantly impact healthcare decisions.
References
Jones, M. (2020). Personal interview [Personal interview].
Kaakinen, J. R., Padgett Coehlo, D., Steele, R., & Robinson, M. (2018). Family health care nursing: Theory, practice, and research (6th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company.
Wu, R. R., Myers, R. A., Sperber, N., Voils, C. I., Neuner, J., McCarty, C. A., … Orlando, L. A. (2019). Implementation, adoption, and utility of family health history risk assessment in diverse care settings: Evaluating implementation processes and impact with an implementation framework. Genetics in Medicine, 21, 331–338. Web.
Zator Estes, M. E., Calleja, P, Theobald, K., & Harvey, T. (2019). Health assessment and physical examination (3rd ed.). Melbourne, Australia: Cengage.
Appendix
Interview Questionnaire for a Family-Focused Functional Assessment
Values/Health Perception
Does anyone in your family have a chronic illness?
My mother has chronic bronchitis (she spent a good amount of time exploring caves when she was younger) and my father has some kind of sports injury (he plays volleyball a lot). I have a small skin problem but it is fine.
Do your family members enjoy work/study?
Yeah, I think so. My mom has raised sons, being at home most of the time. So, she has some kind of activity now (work is close to home).
Are you taking any supplements or vitamins?
Frankly, I am going to do it, yes. Fall has already started and I do not want to get a cold again. I want to buy some ingredients (lemons, nuts, honey, etc.) and make a healthy mixture out of them.
Nutrition
Does your family limit their sugar intake?
Not really. If you want some sweets – take them.
What is your pattern for eating fresh vegetables and fruits?
Every one or two days. We as a family eat more vegetables than fruits.
Do you regularly eat fibrous foods, wholemeal bread, or bran?
Not regularly but we do sometimes.
Sleep/Rest
How many hours do your family members sleep on average?
I sleep 8-9 hours a day. My parents sleep a bit less usually (about 7 hours a day).
Do you do any kind of meditation before sleeping?
No, I do not. I surf through the Internet on my phone, while in bed.
Does your family fall asleep right away or cannot sleep for a long time?
It varies from time to time. Anyway, if you are very tired after an exhausting day, then falling asleep is easy.
Elimination
Do you have a bowel movement every day?
Rather every other day than every day.
Do your family members have constipation or diarrhea?
No.
Do your family members have an overactive bladder?
No.
Activity/Exercise
Are your family members engaged in any physical activity?
My father plays volleyball a lot. Unfortunately, I am not engaged in any physical activity but I walk 1-2 miles almost every day.
Do you often take long walks?
Yes, I like to walk outside during my lunchtime or evening.
How do you spend your free time: are you more active or do you prefer to relax?
I prefer to relax. For example, watching a movie is good for me.
Cognitive
Are you good at concentrating on something?
Yes, I think so. My job requires a lot of concentrating (trading).
Do you make plans?
Yes, I am. In my opinion, people should plan even the distant future (at least some key aspects of it).
Are you adapting to new, unexpected, and changing situations?
Not really. I do not like it (maybe for now).
Sensory Perception
Do your family members have any vision problems?
All my family members have vision problems.
Do your family members have any memory problems?
No, they do not.
Do your family members have any hearing problems?
Maybe a little bit. My parents are older than 55.
Self-Perception
How do you deal with stress?
I go for a walk usually.
Do your family members have a state of euphoria sometimes?
Maybe, I am not sure.
Do you think that you should change something in yourself?
I should take up sports.
Role of Relationship
Do your family members have someone who they trust completely?
I think we trust each other.
Do you often quarrel within the family or outside of it?
Yes, but rather seldom.
Is there something that constantly annoys you in other people?
Impoliteness and ignorance.
Sexuality
Do you have any sexually transmitted diseases?
No.
Are you satisfied with your intimate life?
Yes.
How could you describe your intimate life in one sentence?
I think I am exposed to enough sexual activity to keep me satisfied and not get too focused on how to discharge my intimate energy.
Coping
Can you tell if your family has had any serious interpersonal issues in the past?
There were no significant issues in the past, just a couple of quarrels. We managed them quickly and there were no problems with finding the right solution.
How do you communicate your problems to the rest of the family?
I tend to communicate my issues face to face because I believe that this is the only way for a family to resolve their issues.
What are the key means of managing problems in your family?
We use to sit down and talk to each other as sincerely as possible. Even if it may be a bit too frank sometimes, it helps us realize each other’s needs and adhere to them when necessary.