Research on the
Family’s Influence on Health
Clinical experience holds that families influence and are influenced by the health of their members, and that family-oriented primary care can lead to improved health for both the individual and the family as a whole. Assumptions and experiences that point toward a new approach to medical care, however, should be scientifically validated through empirical research (i.e., they should be evidence-based). This chapter will examine some impor- tant lines of research on families and health, especially the family’s impact on physical health. There is now a body of well-designed studies and ran- domized controlled trials that demonstrate that family interventions can improve health outcomes .
This research supports the contention that a partnership between physician, patient, and family may provide the most effective and efficient form of medical care.
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