Case Study - Family Health Assessment

Running head: FAMILY HEALTH ASSESSMENT
Family Health Assessment
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

FAMILY HEALTH ASSESSMENT
Family Structure
The structure of the family can be categorized under the single-parent family and
consists of the 38 years old Mr. A, his 7-year-old daughter and his 64-year-old mother. Mr. A
is the sole working person in the family and takes care of his mother and his daughter. His
daughter is currently attending primary school and the old mother, a strong catholic devotee,
takes care of the home when Mr. A goes to the office. Three of them are very close to each
other and eat together and go to sleep at the same time.
Health Behavior
The small family eats food together and ensure a nutritious meal every day. The child
is very active and takes part in sports events in school. The family sleeps at the same time at
10.30 p.m. every day and gets on an average, 8 hours of sleep and is free of any disease
currently. No one in the family has any issues with the vision or ears and does not live with
any sensory deficit. The bowel movements currently in the family are regular.
Health Pattern
None of the family members smokes or indulges in any kind of drug abuse. However,
Mr. A. sometimes drinks a couple of times a week past the bedtime of his daughter, and the
daughter is unaware of this habit. The family lives a routine, healthy lifestyle and none of
them are currently suffering from any physical health condition. The family performs the
exercise for half an hour every morning and every member is physically fit. The family is
extremely cautious about physical health and has high maintenance of it.
However, there are few issues concerned with the emotional health of the family. All
of the family members went through critical emotional downfall after the death of Mrs. B, the
wife of Mr. A., four years ago. Mr. A. started drinking after the death of his wife from cancer
and his daughter often cries alone while missing her mother. The mother of Mr. A is aware of
both of the member’s condition and condoles them whenever in grief. However, Mr. A. feels

FAMILY HEALTH ASSESSMENT
that all three of the family members never express their feelings towards the loss of his wife
with each other in the open, but should do it. Such actions help to maintain healthy
interactions between the family members with an increase in common understanding among
them (Coe, Davies & Sturge-Apple, 2018).
Family Systems Theory
According to Bowen’s Family Systems theory, the family is considered to be an
emotional unit, and there is a critical need for complex interactions in practice to maintain the
emotional connection between the family members (Brooks, 2019). According to the theory,
only when family members solicit each other’s support, approval and attention, they can react
properly to their upsets, expectations and needs. For the particular family of Mr. A., the
family systems theory would suggest an increase in emotional interdependence among the
family members by expressing their sadness while they miss the member of their family. This
step can effectively improve the cooperation and improve cohesiveness among the three of
them (Keller, 2019).
Conclusion
Family system theory aims at bringing necessary changes in the family to increase
emotional connectivity and cohesiveness among the family members.

FAMILY HEALTH ASSESSMENT
References
Brooks, L. R. (2019). Within Family Variability: Intergenerational Cutoff and Family
Projection in an Adopted Family. In Handbook of Bowen Family Systems Theory and
Research Methods (pp. 188-200). Routledge.
Coe, J. L., Davies, P. T., & Sturge-Apple, M. L. (2018). Family cohesion and enmeshment
moderate associations between maternal relationship instability and children’s
externalizing problems. Journal of Family Psychology, 32(3), 289.
Keller, M. N. (2019). Bowen Theory: 49A Systems Model for Family Research.
In Handbook of Bowen Family Systems Theory and Research Methods (pp. 49-61).
Routledge.

FAMILY HEALTH ASSESSMENT
Appendix
Questionnaire
Values, Health Perception
1. What practices your family members ensure to maintain the overall health?
2. Does anyone of your family member indulge in substance abuse or smoke? If yes,
how do the other members feel about it?
3. Does your family strongly identify with any political, religious, ethnic, or cultural
group?
Nutrition
1. Do your family members try to eat regularly and together?
2. According to you, how would you describe the quantity of food eaten by the family?
3. Does your family try to balance the nutrition in food daily?
Sleep/Rest
1. Does anyone of your family member is suffering from a lack of sleep? If yes, what
could be the reason?
2. Does your family go to sleep at the same time? What time would it be?
3. If any family member finds it hard to sleep, what kind of assistance or method is
advised to them?
Elimination
1. How often in a day do you urinate?
2. Dou you think your bowel movements are regular? If yes, how often would it be?
3. Do you or anyone of your family member have bladder or bowel elimination issue? If
yes, how would you describe them?
Activity/Exercise
1. Do you think any sedimentary behavioral issues are there in your family?

FAMILY HEALTH ASSESSMENT
2. Do you or your family members follow any regular routine of exercise?
3. How often do you and your family members exercise?
Cognitive
1. What is the average education level in the family?
2. Does any member from the family have a history of mental health problems?
3. Do you or anyone of your family member visit a therapist in the past?
Sensory-Perception
1. Does any sensory deficit is observed in the family?
2. Is there any sensory issue history in the family?
3. When was the last time, if any, does anyone from your family visited audiologists or
optometrist?
Self-Perception
1. Do you feel like having a fault or an imperfection in you?
2. Does appearance bother anyone in your family?
3. Give a brief description of how do you feel about yourself.
Role Relationship
1. What are your thoughts on everybody’s role in the family?
2. According to you, in your family, which relationship is particularly strong or not as
strong as it should be?
3. Is your family going through any major changes or upsets relationship-wise?
Sexuality
1. Is any family member is unsure or feels indifferent in the context of sexuality?
2. How does the family perceive the thought of having children?
3. Is there a known history of a lack of reproductive ability or sexual dysfunction in the
family?

FAMILY HEALTH ASSESSMENT
Coping
1. How does your family usually deal with problems?
2. Do these actions effectively address the issue or worsen it?
3. Does any family member has undergone treatment for emotional distress?