The New Public Health, 4th edition: Chapter 6 - Family health and primary prevention

The family is a fundamental social organization including people of different or the same genders as parents, children, relatives, and even clans. Members go through life stages with differing health needs for maintaining health and preventing disease affected by health awareness and social inequities. Health for women through all phases of life includes equal rights, fertility, pregnancy, child care, employment, multitasking, and aging. Child care through multiple stages, including nutrition and education for physical and cognitive development, is vital in family and community health. Women's and men's health involves healthy lifestyles to prevent many health threats, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and social and mental health problems. Aging can place stress on individuals and the family, who may depend on social and health services to provide help. Family health is also the responsibility of society, health and social support systems to reduce poverty and other inequities, and the family itself. Family health is affected by poverty and social distress, displacement, wars, terrorism, and mass trauma.