Testing the Family Health Promotion Model for Family Having Children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy/Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Abstract

The global role of action of family health promotion in all aspects of family health behavior, family health capacity, and family health status has received inadequate empirical examination relative to its potential significance, notably within a causal model pathway. The purposes of the study were to determine whether family health capacity and family health status maintain internal and external dimensions that influence family health behavior/family health status and analyze the predictive factor influence on major variables in the theoretical model of family health promotion. Analyses were conducted on data derived from 86 families that were affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) or spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The participants (113; mean age, 42.68 years) including parents, siblings, patients, and caregivers completed self-reported questionnaires. Family support and family hardiness were the mediators on family general health, family general function, and family health behavior. Family support produced a mediator effect on general family function through the power to propose ideas/plans. However, general family health produced a mediator effect on general family function through geography, family support, and family hardiness, as well as a mediator effect on family health behavior through family support and family hardiness, and represented by family monthly income. Families were important sources of interpersonal influence that could increase or decrease commitment, challenge, or control to health promotion behavior.