The family is the primary social context in which health promotion and disease prevention take place. Placed in this context, it is reasonable for the nurse to assume which of the following is true?

Question

a. The family's beliefs, values, and culture strongly influence health behaviors.
b. Families function haphazardly without creating goals.
c. Good health is always highly valued in family settings.
d. The long-term habits of one family member has no effect on the others.

Answer 1

A
The family's beliefs, values, culture, and practices strongly influence the health-promoting behaviors of its members. When the family satisfactorily meets its goals through adequate functioning, its members tend to feel positive about themselves and their family. Conversely, when they do not meet goals, families view themselves as ineffective. Good health is not always highly valued; in fact, harmful practices are acceptable in some families. Some of these practices might include poor dietary habits, such as high-calorie, high-fat diets. A long-term illness in one of the family members affects the well-being and health of the entire family. In addition, long-term habits such as smoking also influence the health of members in the family unit.