Gabriela Family Health Assessment

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In the quest to understand the lifestyles of people living in the United States and ascertain their wellness needs, I developed a questionnaire attached at the appendix of this essay. Using the questionnaire, I collected data from a family that resides in the state of California. The questionnaire had a set of open-ended questions, which revolved around the lifestyles of families. It is notable to elucidate that the selected family was an average income, and therefore, the data collected reflected a near accurate state of affairs in California. Since the questionnaire was open-ended, the opportunity to acquire additional information was high unlike in the case of closed questionnaires.

Summary of the Findings

Values, Health Perception, Nutrition, Sleep, and Rest

The assessment on the issue of medical attention and on whether the family visits a health facility regularly led to an eventuality that there is a need for improvement. Out of the assessment, the study found out that the family does not visit the doctor regularly but only do so whenever one of them is unwell.

Moreover, I observed that the family has very little information concerning their state of health. Another aspect that emerged out of the interview was the fact that the family sources drugs from pharmacists without prior medical approval, a factor that contributed to a number of complications. The presence of antibiotics and painkillers in the family store affirmed the assertion of Parikh, Sattigeri, Kumar, and Brahmbhatt (2017) who claim that several families in the United States consume OTC drugs without seeking medical advice.

In the context of nutrition, the study observed that the family had a set of food considered as unhealthy. The types of food that mainly comprised those with excess calories and fat are among those that the family refrains from consuming. However, the little knowledge held on the importance of balanced diet made it complex for them to understand that some of the foods that they classified as unhealthy were indeed essential for humanity. Consequently, the study inquired on the relevance of sleep from the perspective of the family.

It emerged from the interview that most of the old members considered sleep as unessential and spent 3-4 hours sleeping and the rest working. The trend resonates with the explanation that Marshall, Wong, Cullen, Knuiman, and Grunstein (2014) provide which states that a number of healthy issues presented in various hospitals actually emanate from unhealthy sleeping habits.

Elimination, Exercise, and Cognitive

From the questions contained in the questionnaire, I observed that the family members have some habits that they are struggling to avoid. Some of the problems that the family is trying to eliminate include the uncontrolled use of smartphones, watching television programs, and use of computers. It emerged from the interview that the family does not have time together because they use a large part of their time on smartphones, television or on computer screens. According to Lian, You, Huang, and Yang (2016), several modern families have become slaves of smartphones and no longer control how they use them. It also came out from the interview that the family places little emphasis on exercises but focuses on the issue of work.

Notably, the high demands advanced by the rising cost of living compel the family to work hard and spent less time exercising. The family stated that they used to jog in the mornings but have since stopped so that they handle morning duties, which help them, earn additional cash. The fact that the elders in the family work even on weekends implies that very little time remains for exercising even for the young individuals. The little knowledge that the family possesses on issues of health complicate their perception especially in cases when one of them is unwell. The family members explained that they had challenges understanding what one of them suffered from in the absence of verbal communication.

Sensory and Self-Perception and Role Relationship

Apparently, the study found out that the quality of communication in the family has been depreciating for some time. The family members associated uncontrolled use of smartphones and television as well as the busy schedules with the diminishing quality of communication. Furthermore, the family stated that presently, communication has taken a form of question-answer where one asks a question and the other gives an answer. Although the family tries to communicate with some level of affection, I observed that they could not do so because it is challenging to express affection when communication follows a question-answer format (Galvin, Braithwaite, & Bylund, 2015). On the issue of stress management, the study observed that the family does not have a plan that helps them manage stress.

From the standpoint of Lian et al. (2016), stress is unavoidable and depends on the personal strength and a good management plan. Abuse of drugs and isolation were some of the ways that the family presented as ways used to addressing stress. The family cited an event occasioned when the father, who was the sole breadwinner, lost his job and tried unsuccessfully to start an electronic business.

According to them, the event was one of the most stressful because they could not pay their bills and cater for basic needs such as food and accommodation. Notably, some of the values that the family classifies as essential for their wellbeing comprise assertiveness, self-control, and respect. The values help especially in role definition and respect of leaders. The family regards the father as its leader and the mother plays the role of an advisor and the leads whenever the father is not around.

Sexuality and Coping

Just like other families living in the United States, the study found out that the issue of sexuality proved to be complex for the family. The issue of sex was one of the rarest discussed topics. Although the family practiced safe sex, they refrained from discussing the issue with their children. Instead of explaining the sexuality and successful interaction with children of opposite sex, the parents opted that teachers were in a better position to handle the issue. Surprisingly, even if the family knew the seriousness initiated by the absence of education on sex among youngsters, they still demonstrated a high level of reluctance concerning the issue. Consequently, the family explained that although communication had diminished, they still could create some time to help one another during stressful moments. The parents stated that they had to be there for their children and each other during challenging times.

Two Wellness Problems and Summary

From the findings and the visit to the family for the interview, I observed a number of wellness issues. However, the two major wellness problems that became evident during my time with the family were obesity and diabetes. I noticed that two teenage children were overweight and struggling with the issue of obesity. Moreover, I noticed that one of them was diabetic, a condition triggered by obesity. As a result, the family had to ensure that the child took insulin injections on a daily basis. In summary, the interview and the findings can be useful in addressing the issues that several middle-income earners experience in the United States and globally.

References

Galvin, K., Braithwaite, D., & Bylund, C. (2015). Family communication: Cohesion and change. New York: Routledge.

Lian, L., You, X., Huang, J., & Yang, R. (2016). Who overuses Smartphones? Roles of virtues and parenting style in Smartphone addiction among Chinese college students. Computers in Human Behavior, 65(1), 92-99.

Marshall, N., Wong, K., Cullen, S., Knuiman, M., & Grunstein, R. (2014). Sleep apnea and 20-year follow-up for all-cause mortality, stroke, and cancer incidence and mortality in the Busselton Health Study cohort. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine: JCSM: Official Publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 10(4), 355-369.

Parikh, D., Sattigeri, B., Kumar, A., & Brahmbhatt, S. (2017). A survey study on use of over the counter (OTC) drugs among medical students, nursing and clerical staff of a tertiary care teaching rural hospital. International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 1(2), 83-86.

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