Most of our lives are spent with our family members. We learn our health habits and eating habits also from our family. Most of our leisure time is also spent with the members of the family. Therefore, the family has a great impact on our health.
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In grade 6 you learnt about the concept of health and the importance of physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being for a healthy life.
Health promotion is the process of enabling people to improve their health by gaining control over factors affecting health.
Most often all the members of a family live together, but sometimes either the father or the mother may live separately due to their employment. Children may stay in hostels or in children’s homes either for educational purposes or for other reasons. Although staying at such places is temporary, children will have to live according to the rules and regulations of such institutions. In such places children may not be able to make changes. In a family, parents and children live together. They have the freedom to take their own decisions and have more freedom to act on their own. Therefore, there is both the possibility as well as a responsibility to promote good health within the family.
A family environment must be a place where everyone can be happy.
A healthy physical, mental and social environment is vital for a healthy
family environment. Let us learn about the features that are necessary
for the promotion of a healthy physical, mental and social environment.
The following features should exist in a good physical environment:
1. Fresh air
2. Clean water
3. Healthy food
4. Sanitary facilities
5. Clean environment
6. Sufficient space
7. Tranquillity
8. Being free of the danger of accidents
1.Fresh air
1.Fresh air
When building a house, the compound and the doors and windows
should be so designed as to allow fresh air in to the house. Growing
trees in the compound will provide fresh air and maintain temperature.
Burning of substances such as polythene and plastic should be avoided
as it produces gases harmful to health. Diseases in the respiratory system
can be caused by breathing polluted air. Therefore it is important that
we have fresh air in our homes.
2.Clean water
2.Clean water
By drinking clean water infectious diseases such as diarrhoea can be
avoided. Boiled and cooled water should be used for drinking. Some
toxic chemicals and germs can be removed by using filters.
3. Healthy food
3. Healthy food
Food containing excessive amounts of sugar, salt and oil should
be avoided as far as possible. Greens, fruits and vegetables should
be included in our daily meals. In the case of pregnant mothers and
children with special requirements, care should be taken to prepare
food rich in protein and minerals. You who are now going through your
adolescence, should be particularly mindful to eat food containing more
iron and protein. Nevertheless, a balanced healthy diet is important for
every family member.
4. Sanitary facilities
4. Sanitary facilities
The environment can be kept clean by having good drainage systems,
proper sanitary facilities and good garbage disposal systems. Cleaning
the toilet daily using an antiseptic will help in preventing diseases.
5.Clean environment
5.Clean environment
Breeding sites of dengue mosquitoes can be minimized by cleaning the
house and the compound at least once a week and destroying sites of
water collection. We can also prevent the propagation of rats and destroy
places where reptiles could live in. A tidy environment will minimize
accidents. A pleasant environment will bring mental satisfaction.
6.Sufficient space
6.Sufficient space
There should be a sufficient number of bed rooms and other necessary
facilities adequate for the size of the family. This will help to get fresh
air and create a pleasant environment.
7.Tranquillity
7.Tranquillity
It is always good to maintain a tranquil environment at home, free of
unnecessary noise. When listening to the radio and watching television , one
should maintain the volume of sound at a suitable level, being mindful
not to disturb the neighbours.
8. Being free of the danger of accidents
8. Being free of the danger of accidents
Most domestic accidents result due to ignorance, carelessness and mistakes.
Therefore such accidents can be prevented by acting with awareness and
taking proper care. Following are some examples for minimising such accidents:
• Maintaining electric wires and plug bases with proper covering.
• Constructing safety walls or fences around dangerous places like wells.
• Keeping the home environment clean
Mental environment
Mental environment
Creating a pleasant environment free of harassment and exploitation
where one can recognize one's talents and face challenges successfully,
is important for health promotion. The following factors are necessary
for this.
1. Love
2. Protection
3. Relaxation
Love
Love
Love and strong bonds should exist among the
members of a family. Wherever you live, even
in a hostel or a children’s home, it is important
to maintain strong bonds and love with the
fellow members and guardians. Family bonds
create an environment where every member
of the family treats one another with love,
inquires about the needs of other members and treats problems of other
members as their own.
Protection
Protection
Love, protection and security are received by all members of a family
living together. You need the protection and the security of your parents
or guardians during your childhood.
Relaxation
Relaxation
When leisure is spent in a productive manner, many things such
as knowledge, creativity, enjoyment and physical fitness improve
significantly. Reading, building a small library at home, watching or listening to selected television or radio programmes and discussing
about them, participating in games and engaging in activities with
members of the family are some productive activities which you can
engage in, during your leisure.
When there is love, protection and relaxation, one will not experience
stress. Such an environment will not leave room for harassment.
You will learn more about love and protection in the next chapter.
Social environment
Social environment
The different groups in our society can be collectively identified as the
social environment. Some of these groups are family, hostel, school,
friends, work place and village. An environment where people mutually
help each other, exchange ideas and have recreational facilities, is
important for the promotion of good health.
Mentioned below are a few features of a good social environment.
1. Good interpersonal relationships
2. Fulfilment of duties and responsibilities
3. Productive communication
4. Discipline
5. Unity and respect
Good interpersonal relationships
Good interpersonal relationships
This refers to the maintenance of good
relationships with different people we meet in our day to day life while
helping each other. Maintaining good relationships with the members
of the family, neighbours, relatives, friends and other groups of people,
will make us happy.
We must set aside at least half an hour each day to have friendly
discussions with all the members of the family. Discussing what took
place at school or at the work place, inquiring about matters of interest
and mutual understanding will make family ties stronger. Living in
such a family environment will bring happiness to every one. You also
have a role to play in avoiding arguments and punishments at home.
Not only at home, wherever you live, you should try to live in such a
way that bring happiness to the others living with you.
Duties and responsibilities
Duties and responsibilities
Fulfilling one's duties and responsibilities towards the family and
one's neighbours, is a sign of a healthy family. You should also share
responsibility and perform duties to the extent you can.
Productive communication
Productive communication
Clear communication among members of the family help to avoid or
solve disputes.
Discipline
Discipline
Your parents or guardians lay down simple rules for your conduct in the
family. Observing such rules will ensure you a good future. There can
be various rules within a family.
Unity and respect
Unity and respect
Working together in unity should always be encouraged not only within
the family, but also at school and village level. Developing leadership
qualities, respecting the leadership and understanding others will
facilitate this.
Spiritual environment
Spiritual environment
A healthy spiritual environment will promote physical and mental
health. The following can be observed in the conduct of the people in
such a society.
• Engaging in religious activities both at home and at religious institutions
• Helping the needy
• Showing kindness to animals
• Engaging in suitable meditation
• Engaging in Yoga Exercises
• Protecting nature
Family health promotion can be done under five main themes.
1. Establishing policies regarding health
2. Developing skills and knowledge on good health
3. Creating a healthy environment
4. Obtaining the support of the community
5. Making proper use of the health services provided
Establishing policies regarding health
Establishing policies regarding health
All the members of the family should discuss and agree upon establishing
policies to promote the family health.
• Categorizing and disposal of waste according to its nature
• Minimizing the use of polythene
• Limiting the intake of sugar and salt
A 400g Packet of salt for a family of 4 for 20 days. (5g per person per day)
Only 2 tea spoons of sugar per person per day
• Instead of carbonated ( bubbling) drinks, consume fresh fruit juice, tea, coffee or herbal drinks.
• Washing clothes every other day and ironing clothes altogether once or twice a week in order to save water and electricity
• Engaging in an out door game with all the members of the family
Developing skills and knowledge on good health
Developing skills and knowledge on good health
The knowledge gained at school and from books, magazines, papers
etc. should be shared with the members of your family or living place.
By getting information from the Public Health Inspector (PHI) and
the Public Health Midwife (PHM) of your area and listening to health
programmes, you can develop your knowledge and skills on health.
Creating a healthy environment
Creating a healthy environment
Recall what you have already learnt about the features of a healthy
home environment. By organising the home environment accordingly, you
can create a healthy family environment.
Obtaining the support of the community
Obtaining the support of the community
Community support is getting
the support of various people
in the society. This support
is essential to maintain good
health of a family and society.
Participating in community
programmes, sharing joy and
grief with neighbours and
helping neighbours when they are in distress are very important.
It is also important to maintain contact with religious places, the school
and the Grama Niladari (village officer).You can organise shramadana
campaigns and public awareness programmes on prevention of alcohol,
narcotic drugs and smoking.
Making proper use of health services
Making proper use of health services
The community health services are useful in improving the health of
the family. The service of the Public Health Midwife (PHM), the Public
Health Inspector (PHI) and the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) are
useful in this regard. Other than these people, hospital facilities are
available to get treatment for various diseases.
To make the best use of the health services available to you, follow the
instructions given below:
• If a member of your family has an infectious disease, inform the PHI.
• If a member of your family is pregnant, inform the PHM and get her
assistance.
• Remember to get vaccinations on time and get information from
PHM.
• Provide assistance to organize programmes to solve health problems
in the village.
eg: Eradication of Dengue
Prevention of smoking
Obtaining clean drinking water
• Being screened for common illnesses and attending clinics regularly.
eg: School medical inspection
Well - women clinics
Diabetes and high blood pressure clinics
• Obtaining correct health advice
• Getting advice on nutrition, reproductive health, life skills etc.
1. Fulfil your responsibilities towards the family
1. Fulfil your responsibilities towards the family
• Share the day to day work of your household
eg: Sweep the compound
Arrange your room
Help to prepare food
• Actively participate in
functions
• Maintain good relationships
with parents, siblings, relations,
friends and close associates.
• Discuss problems with parents
openly.
2. Follow correct food habits
2. Follow correct food habits
• Avoid skipping breakfast
• Get into the habit of eating home- made food
3. Avoid smoking, consuming liquor and narcotic drugs
3. Avoid smoking, consuming liquor and narcotic drugs
• Make family members aware of the ill-effects of these
• Guard yourself against attempts by others to get you involve in such
acts and if it happens, inform your parents/teachers.
• Protect your siblings from getting involved in these types of activities
4. Spend your leisure time constructively
4. Spend your leisure time constructively
• Engaging in aesthetic activities - singing, dancing, playing a
musical instrument and drawing
• Engaging in literary activities - writing and reading short stories,
poetry, etc
• Engaging in gardening
• Exercising or engaging in sports
5. Convey health messages to the family
5. Convey health messages to the family
• Share the latest knowledge with the family
• Dispel the wrong ideas and myths entertained by the family members
Promotion of family health is important to build a healthy society.
The features of a healthy family environment can be classified under
physical, social and mental environments.
Measures to promote family health can be discussed under five main
themes of establishing policies regarding health, developing knowledge
and skills on good health, creating a healthy environment, obtaining the
support of the community and making proper use of health services.
As a student you must contribute in various ways to build a healthy
family.
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