ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

High-Risk Family Assessment and Health Promotion



High-Risk Family Assessment and Health Promotion

Introduction

In nursing, assessment of health needs is a basic skill, but many nursing professionals keep this to an individualistic level. The emotional and physical health of the entire family needs to be assessed before a final call is made, especially in high risk families. High risk families are those that might have a genetic tendency or risk to develop a particular disease or injury. Apart from genetics, the lifestyle, environment, habits or socio-economic conditions of the family could have a part to play in their developing psychological or physical afflictions. In this paper, I will be addressing what specifications are common in high risk families where a member is affected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Discussion

High risk conditions and behaviors/patterns

Examples of high risk conditions may be families in which post active-duty war veterans live. There would be a high risk of the individual developing symptoms of PTSD, which could consequently lead to the entire family being affected by psychological and social anxieties and issues. Although in many cases, the family unit isn't affected as a group but there are definite changes in the health and lifestyle of each individual as they strive to deal with the situation in their own manner.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder concerns mental health of an individual where relapse in behavior can be recorded through certain triggers. The behavior patterns of the individual changes entirely, on top of which there is a shift in their perspective on life itself. Having witnessed near-death situations first hand, the war veteran will undoubtedly develop symptoms of PTSD. These individuals may have trouble discerning reality from their own visions of imminent danger in mundane situations.

According to health profiles of previous patients suffering from PTSD, there is often a few recurring factors like loss of interest, recurring nightmares, flashbacks or severe anger and lashing out which can be common. Furthermore, there is an increase in irritability, restlessness, sleeplessness and depression which may further enhance anti-social behavior in said individuals. This may lead to different compound issues through which the war veteran is sure to exhibit high risk behavior patterns, adversely affecting caring family members and their mindsets. Other members of the family may start behaving oddly as well, for example some may take up smoking, increase alcohol intake or become socially isolated. The display of violence and aggressive behavior towards one another is often recorded in this particular high-risk group.

High risk families often have to go through consequent effects of unemployment, while some families start to exhibit regular drug and alcohol abuse. Eventually, chronic health issues are recorded such as clinical depression, hypertension, heart strokes, diabetes, bulimia, anorexia, cardiovascular disease and so on.

Assessment and Effective Treatment

For high risk family groups, treatment can take place once the cause is identified. The symptoms of PTSD are quite clear and are often divided into three steps

Reliving the trauma of war

Avoidance and extensive detachment from surroundings

Exaggerated responses by war veterans

Patients having to ...