Family health consultation

What is a family health consultation?


The health of all members in a family is important because this guarantees good social cohesion in the household, which ensures thriving relationships and an optimally functioning unit. Family functioning is a broad term used to describe the relationship dynamics in a family setting and the health of all people involved as a whole.

A family health consultation strengthens the relationships within a family by deploying a family functioning assessment and six dimensions (problem-solving, communication, behavioural control, roles in the family and responses) that make up the McMaster Model of Family Functioning.



What happens at a family health consultation?

A family health consultation focuses on maintaining healthy relationships within a family, which is done by assessing the roles of every member and discussing conflict, mental health issues and problems with social cohesion in different settings.

At a family health consultation, Dr Ledwaba assesses the family structure based on the basic principles of open communication, trust and honesty. A comprehensive family functioning assessment is used as a multi-faceted tool to improve the quality of the outcome of the consultation.


What do families need to look out for?

Good family health patterns are ensured when all members play an active role in their healthcare by complying with the doctor's medical advice.

There are external factors that affect family health in the community, such as:

  • The presence of garbage or litter
  • Crime
  • Substance abuse
  • Child abuse
  • Domestic violence

Other than this, personal issues come into play:

  • Mental illness in the family
  • Poor communication between family members


What does a healthy family relationship look like?

A healthy family relationship is built on open communication and support from all the members involved. As a result, the family can communicate effectively while considering the other members' feelings.

Health screenings, particularly wellness checks to rule out mental illness in the family, can help foster stronger bonds and unity as a whole.


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1. What does a family practice doctor specialise in?
A family practice doctor serves his or her community by working in a public setting, treating patients with different chronic illnesses and conducting regular health screenings. Part of these screenings involves a health risk assessment, health screenings for chronic diseases and a routine check-up.
2. How would you define family health?
Family health is dependent on daily resources needed to survive, such as the basics: food, clothing, shelter, education and medical care. Reproductive health and family planning form part of family health services.
3. What is a family health referral?
Other modes of referral include a primary healthcare clinic whereby services such as immunisations, antenatal care, family planning, diagnosis and management of tuberculosis and other chronic diseases, as well as HIV screening. A community healthcare centre attends to emergency issues and maternity care in a specialised ward. Finally, a general practitioner can refer you to another specialist in specialised fields such as psychiatry, infectious diseases, tuberculosis and spinal injuries.