A Mexican Family Health Assessment Report

The quality of treatment provided to both individuals and families can be improved via the use of family health evaluations. Incorporating family dynamics and individual behavior into treatment programs is made possible through these evaluations (Christalle et al., 2019). The results of these evaluations help nurses prioritize the areas of care that will have the greatest impact on their patients' health (Calatrava et al., 2022). The purpose of this paper is to describe the dynamics and patterns of the Lara-Watts family's health. The analysis covers the full gamut, from the family's structure and health state to its patterns and difficulties, as well as the best theoretical framework for improving family well-being.

Family Organization

Marty and Mike got married in New Mexico in 2013, and their union produced the Lara-Watts family. There are six people in their immediate family. Mike is 51 years old and Marty is 49. Stephanie, Andre, Chase, and Clayton are the children, and they are 29, 9, and 7 years old. Marty is Caucasian and Mike is Hispanic, yet they are all considered to be equal members of the Lara-Watts family. The couple is homosexual and deeply cares for their blended family, despite the fact that none of the children are their own. While Andre and Chase are both of mixed race, Clayton is white. Andre's half-sister Stephanie is the mother of both Chase and Clayton. Stephanie is the eldest child of Marty and Mike. The Lara-Watts family is Christian but they respect the freedom of others to practice their faith as they see fit. Mike has made it his mission to aid those who are battling alcoholism, while Marty has been an educator for six years. Marty also runs a successful tax preparation company as its chief executive officer. Relationship and family duties are assigned according to factors such as age, ability, and financial stability.

Conclusions from Health Evaluations

Members of the Lara-Watts family are interested in self-care and want to know more about their health and medical diagnoses. Marty is the primary breadwinner and caretaker for the family, and Mike plays an important supporting role. PTSD, significant depression, and Bipolar I affect both of my parents. Both wear prescription eyewear because of ongoing vision problems. Mike utilizes a sphincter pump to help with urinary leakage after experiencing incontinence as a result of radiation treatment for prostate cancer. Multiple back procedures, including gastric sleeve, have been performed on him. Clayton, the youngest child, has trouble controlling his urine since he has ADHD. The family is clearly interested in living a healthy lifestyle, as suggested by their responses to the interview questionnaire.

Nutrition

Baked chicken is a staple of the family dinner, which also includes rice or pasta, broccoli, and a garden salad. They listed water and soda as regular beverages, and they eat burgers and fries on the weekends. Mike's gastric sleeve experience has made him a stickler for the family's healthy eating habits. Although Marty has a severe allergy to tree nuts, the rest of the group can still enjoy nuts so long as they follow Mike's stringent instructions and keep any nut-based goods away from him. To aid Mike on his weight loss journey, the family has reduced their consumption of sweets and carbs. Marty confirmed that his family does, in fact, examine nutritional labels in order to make good choices, especially for the youngsters who need to be energized for their interests in sports.

Getting Some Z's and Cleaning House

Getting enough shut-eye is crucial to one's health. It restores the body's natural rhythms and speeds up recovery times (Gulia & Kumar, 2020). The adults in the Lara-Watts household sleep for only four to six hours every night, while the kids get between eight and ten. Children typically go to bed between 8:30 and 9:30. Both Marty and Mike have sleep apnea, and the former suffers from night terrors as a result of his time in the military. The entire household has regular bowel movements and uses natural laxatives like apple or prune juice for constipation. Mike has problems with incontinence and urinary leaks, as previously documented. Clayton, age 7, has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Everyone in the Lara-Watts family, with the exception of Mike, engages in regular physical activity and places a premium on mental workouts. Mike would like to be more active, but his health problems (including repeated back surgeries and cancer therapy) prevent him from doing so at this time. While the three boys are busy playing soccer, Marty logs 10,000 steps a day on his treadmill. Three or four times a week, the whole family goes to soccer practice or a game. Mike has an AAS and is working toward a BS, as revealed by the results of the cognitive evaluation. While Chase and Clayton are in the second grade, Marty has a master's degree in education. Current grade level for Andre: eighth. Only Clayton has any kind of academic difficulty, and that's because he has ADHD.

Perceptual Processes

The evaluation of sense perception is crucial in medical practice. The purpose of sensory perception tests was to determine whether or not a subject could detect and process information from both left and right-sided stimuli (Wilson & Giddens, 2021). The parents have a history of needing corrective lenses, as mentioned in their overall health condition. Everyone has the capacity to pick up on sensory cues and describe pain as the body's way of alerting the mind that something is amiss. The family frequently resorts to meditation and over-the-counter pain relievers like Tylenol and Advil while experiencing discomfort.

Identity, Resilience, and Sexuality

Mike and Marty believe they have created a joyful and loving family by uniting as a homosexual couple. They value the opinions of others and are relieved that their close relatives have accepted their sexual orientation. They are proud to be a homosexual couple because they have received unconditional love and support from friends, family, and the community. McKimmie et al. (2019) found that social support networks and group activities helped people deal with stressful situations. Mike regularly attends swim practice sessions and meetings with his AA group. Every single one of the kids is involved in the PTO at school. The Lara-Watts family relies on group activities like Mike's AA meetings, Sunday church services, and family meditation as their primary means of stress relief. Mike and Marty attend AA meetings regularly, and the family puts the techniques they learn there to use when dealing with stressful situations. They value open communication for clearing up misunderstandings and tackling challenges head-on with holistic strategies rather than making wild assumptions.

Health Issues and Functional Strength

Regular exercise, the application of AA concepts to stress management, and catering to individual dietary requirements are just a few of the Lara-Watts family's functional health strengths. Mike's incontinence and Marty's mental instability are two examples of more serious health issues. PTSD, significant depression, and Bipolar I are just some of the known mental illnesses that run in the family. Clayton's ADHD is a serious medical issue.

Theory and Practice of the Family System

According to the family systems theory, a person's health is affected by the way in which family members are connected to and dependent upon one another. Because family members have a part in each other's health and well-being, knowing the family dynamic is essential for providing patient- and family-centered care in healthcare (Milberg et al., 2020). If this idea is correct, then the Lara-Watts family should keep encouraging and helping one another with their health and everyday routines. Having regular conversations about expressing love and sharing challenges and progress, as well as making physical exercise a family activity, are both worthwhile suggestions for this group. This will allow them to better understand one another and grow closer as a unit.

References

Calatrava, M., Martins, M. V., Schweer-Collins, M., Duch-Ceballos, C., & Rodríguez-González, M. (2022). Differentiation of self: A scoping review of Bowen family systems theory’s core construct. Clinical Psychology Review, 91, 102101. Web.

Christalle, E., Zill, J. M., Frerichs, W., Härter, M., Nestoriuc, Y., Dirmaier, J., & Scholl, I. (2019). Assessment of patient information needs: A systematic review of measures. PLOS ONE, 14(1), e0209165. Web.

Gulia, K. K., & Kumar, V. M. (2020). Importance of sleep for health and well-being amidst COVID-19 pandemic. Sleep and Vigilance, 4(1), 49-50. Web.

McKimmie, B. M., Butler, T., Chan, E., Rogers, A., & Jimmieson, N. L. (2019). Reducing stress: Social support and group identification. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 23(2), 241-261.. Web.

Milberg, A., Liljeroos, M., Wåhlberg, R., & Krevers, B. (2020). Sense of support within the family: A cross-sectional study of family members in palliative home care. BMC Palliative Care, 19(1). Web.

Wilson, S. F., & Giddens, J. F. (2021). Health assessment for nursing practice (7th ed.). Evolve.

Appendix: Family Health Assessment Questionnaire

Values/Health Perception

What cultural and/or religious beliefs does your family like to be honored during medical care?

Do you feel your cultural/religious beliefs are supported by medical staff?

Do you feel supported in the community/do you currently belong to community support?

Nutrition

What is a typical dinner for your family?

Are there any dietary restrictions and if so, what does your family eat instead?

Does your family read/understand nutritional labels and aware of their daily nutritional intake?

(How does it relate to self)

Sleep/Rest

What is your family’s nightly bedtime routine?

How many hours does your family typically sleep at night?

Does your family have any barriers that restrict them from getting adequate sleep at night?

Elimination

Does your family have any digestive or urinary issues? (use the same bathroom?)

Does each member of your family have regular bowel movements?

How would your family deal with constipation?

Activity/Exercise

How often does your family exercise/is exercise important to your family?

What type of physical activities does your family participate in?

Does anyone in your family have a physical issue and/or past injuries that prevent them from getting adequate exercise?

Cognitive

What is the highest level of education/literacy each family member has?

Are there any learning barriers and/or difficulties?

Is your family interested in learning about their own health? Medical diagnosis?

Sensory-Perception

Does any member of your family have hearing and/or vision issues?

How does your family perceive pain?

What is your family’s preferred method of pain control?

Self-Perception

Does anyone in the family suffer from mental illness or emotional difficulties?

How do you perceive others see your family? How do they see you?

Where do you see your family in five years from now?

Role Relationship

Who is the primary financial provider within the home?

How are family duties split amongst each family member?

How does your family communicate amongst themselves?

Sexuality

How does your family relate/cope with your specific sexuality?

Do you/your family feel supported/unsupported by medical community?

Do you/family belong to any community support groups?

Coping

What coping mechanisms do you/your family practice daily/weekly?

How do you/family cope during crisis? (Provide example please)

How do you feel about coping daily vs/and/or during crisis?