Family Assessment II
Social determinants of health portend those conditions in which individuals are born, grow, live, work, and age, which shapes their health. Furthermore, the social determinants of health entail factors such as socioeconomic status, education, neighborhood, physical surrounding, employment, healthcare access, and social support networks. The nuclear family of six individuals I interviewed was affected by an array of social determinants of health that positively and negatively influenced their health status. Nevertheless, the nuclear family’s overall health status is good as they have no records of illnesses and diseases.
Foremost, the family is financially stable; therefore, they can access healthy foods. Financial stability determines a good health condition for the family members as they can consume healthy foods; thus, there is no chance of malnutrition and diseases related to lack of healthy food. Therefore the availability of finances is a determinant to the good health enjoyed by the nuclear family. A good physical environment is a good social determinant for health. A clean and safe habitat protects the family from contracting diseases that they would have acquired in case they lived in dirty neighborhoods or slums. Therefore a clean home for the family means that they are safe from acquiring viruses and bacteria which are contacted through the dirt.
Another social determinant of health that has influenced the health status of the family is education. The parents have been able to take their three children, and one adopted daughter to good schools. The firstborn son is studying medicine, meaning that he is well aware of healthcare management and how he can prevent diseases and illness. The other children also have access to a good education where they are taught on disease prevention and how they can improve their health. Furthermore, the family has access to health care as they have a family doctor who usually visits if not for the pandemic that has occurred. The family doctor can manage the family’s health by advising them on the proper diet and exercise routine they need to maintain good health status. Therefore they have a consistent health management pattern.
Nevertheless, some social determinants of health negatively influence the health status of the family. Foremost, the children in the family prefer playing video games rather than indulge in a routine of exercise like their parents. Likewise, the parents in the family do not have an elaborate and proper exercising routine. Moreover, the family’s vegetarian diet is not that efficient for the children as they need proteins for growth and calcium for strong bones. As much as a vegetarian diet is appropriate and healthy, the children still need to include proteins to their diet.
Consequently, health screening is pivotal for people of all ages; however, the screening tests may vary based on age. For the man of the family who is slightly above forty years should undergo psychological screening because of his irrational behavior and hot temper. Moreover, he should be screened for blood pressure because of the stress or pressure from work and sexually transmitted disease test annually, for he is a sexually active adult. For the mother in the family, she should undergo cervical cancer screening as cervical cancer is usually prevalent in women her age. Moreover, she should receive a breast examination at home by her family doctor; she should also be screened on sexually transmitted infections. For the twenty-two-year-old firstborn son, he should receive weight screening because he is fond of eating meat occasionally even though his parents prefer vegetables—a cholesterol screening since he likes consuming meat.
For the teenage second born, he should receive height and weight screening. This is because of the limited intake of proteins which is needed for growth. Moreover, the child should get a vision screening majorly because the child likes computer games. The computers produce dangerous rays that may affect the child; therefore, a vision screening should be conducted. The third-born child who is a nine-year-old girl should get a height and weight screening. Due to the vegetarian diet, she may miss other vital nutrients like proteins, calcium, and carbohydrates vital for growth and energy. She should also get vision screening because of her love for computer games. The computers emit rays that are dangerous to the eyes; hence she should get vision screening regularly. The adopted daughter is also nine years old and should undergo similar health screenings. Foremost, weight and height screening is appropriate because the family is on a vegetarian diet; therefore, there is a limited consumption of proteins, carbohydrates, and calcium.
Therefore I think that the social model of health is appropriate for the family. The social model of health portends that our health is influenced by a wide range of individual, interpersonal, organizational, social, environmental, political, and economic factors. The social model of health encourages individuals to have a broader comprehension of health rather than focusing on biology, physiology, and anatomy. I think that the social model of health is appropriate for the family because the parents can manage the health status of their children. This is possible through proper habitation, good education, a favorable diet, and spending time together as a family.
The steps for family-centered promotion can be presented using the social model of health. The first step is an open system of communication with family; through the social model of health, the parents can openly talk with their children concerning health issues and matters that affect their health. Another strategy for open communication is for the parents to maintain a good relationship with their children; thus, it will enable open discussions and health communications. The second step is recognizing familial importance. The social model of health indicates that through the support of family members and proper nutrition and exercise routines, the family members can motivate each other on proper health management. The third step is family and organizational collaboration. The social model of health indicates that by combining strengths, beliefs, and capabilities, the family members make enhanced decisions that best serve patients’ requirements. The fourth step is enabling family members to support treatment; therefore, the parents should be keen and play an active role in safeguarding the health status of the children. The fifth step entails encouraging cultural literacy, especially for interracial families like the one I interviewed. The social model of health provides that the family maintains a proper culture when it comes to diet and health communication.
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