New Family Health Resource Guide Published

By Richard Shank

Researchers have long documented a complex, complementary relationship between the family environment and health. Now, University of Missouri researchers offer a resource guide aimed at both practitioners and researchers.

The simplest way to describe the relationship is it is a two-way street. The quality of family relationship can impact health in positive and negative ways, and in turn, health can similarly impact family relationship quality. This two-way street is relevant for both mental and physical health. The resource guide comprises annotated bibliographies of research on family and health in three broad areas: “Family Processes and Health,” “Caregiving,” and “Families and Health Interventions.”

The “Family Processes and Health” section covers research that spans relationships between early family experiences and health to broader family context and health. The emphasis is on the contextual processes that produce conflict and/or cohesion with the family and how health intertwines with them.

The “Caregiving” section is most relevant for professionals working in the aging services field(s). The researchers drew on two important literatures for their research guide: caring for older adults and grandchildren. The articles pay particular attention to caregiving as a specific episode in the lifecourse and its relationship to stress.

The “Families and Health Interventions” section is most specific about translating research into practical solutions for improving the lives of families who are living with diverse health conditions. The majority of research in this area emphasizes problem-solving strategies, communication, and conflict resolution within the family as important buffers in the relationship.

To access this resource guide, visit http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122607672/abstract.

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