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The family dimension of cardiovascular care
Insights
Family health practices influence cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Family responses to cardiac symptoms impact care-seeking, yet family involvement in CVD prevention and treatment is limited, highlighting a gap in nursing practice.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular health
- Family studies
- Nursing practice
Background:
- Lifestyle-related health issues, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), are often linked to family-learned health practices.
- Family dynamics significantly influence the speed of seeking medical care following acute cardiac symptoms.
- Families are both affected by and can exacerbate acute and chronic cardiac conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the role of the family in cardiovascular events.
- To highlight the limited involvement of families in cardiac care and prevention.
- To underscore the need for nurses to recognize and treat families as a unit in cardiovascular care.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on family influence in cardiovascular disease.
- Analysis of empirical studies on family responses to cardiac symptoms.
- Discussion of family nursing principles in the context of cardiovascular events.
Main Results:
- Family health behaviors are a significant factor in the etiology of cardiovascular disease.
- Family reactions to cardiac events critically affect patient care-seeking behaviors.
- Existing evidence indicates families play a dual role in exacerbating and being impacted by cardiac illness.
Conclusions:
- Family nursing approaches are underutilized in cardiovascular care.
- Nurses often lack the training to view and treat the family as a client in cardiovascular event management.
- Integrating family-centered care is crucial for effective cardiovascular disease prevention and management.
Abstract:
Cardiovascular disease, like many other life-style-related health problems, is argued to have its origins related in part to health practices first learned in the family. Further, empirical work has shown that the responses of family members to the onset of acute cardiac symptoms contribute significantly to how quickly care is sought. Finally, considerable empirical evidence exists to suggest that families both aggravate and are affected by acute and chronic cardiac illness. Nonetheless, the involvement of the family in cardiac preventive or curative activities remains limited, and the ability of most nurses to appreciate the family as a unit and treat it as a client even more so. This paper describes the nature of family nursing vis-a-vis a cardiovascular event.