7. The role of the family in health and illness

Question 1

What is a nuclear family?

Answer 1

Family unit consisting of mother, father and children not included extended family.

Question 2

What is an extended family?

Answer 2

Family that extends beyond the nuclear family to include other relatives such as aunts, uncles and grandparents for instance.

Question 3

What is an arranged family?

Answer 3

A marital union where the bride and groom are primarily selected by individuals other than the couple themselves. Typically by their parents.

Question 4

What is a symmetrical family?

Answer 4

A family where the roles and responsibilities are shared/ divided equally.

• concept used by Wilmott and Young 1970.

Question 5

What is a co-habiting couple family?

Answer 5

Living arrangement whereby a couple who is not married are living together.

Question 6

what is a same-sex couple family?

Answer 6

A homosexual couple living together with children.

Question 7

What is a queer family?

Answer 7

?

Question 8

What is donor conception?

Answer 8

Having a baby/ child is conceived using donated sperm or donated eggs or both.

Question 9

Since April 1st 2005 what can children born from donor conception do?

Answer 9

can access information about their donor when reaching maturity.

• The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority advises clinics that they should encourage parents to be open with children about the circumstances of their birth

Question 10

What is this case an example of: Julia is angry that the GP surgery always contacts
her to discuss her daughter’s medication, because
she is a working mother and has given the surgery
her male partner’s phone number as the no. 1
contact, as they share household responsibilities.
Which term best describes this family?

Answer 10

Symmetrical family

Question 11

What should the consultant do in this case: Noah (8 years old) was conceived by donor conception. He has been
severely unwell and his symptoms suggest that he may have a rare
genetic condition. The consultant has advised that genetic testing
should be carried out, and this is time-sensitive as Noah’s condition is
worsening.
Andrea, who gave birth to Noah, would like Noah to know that he was
conceived by donor conception, but her partner Toby, who has brought
up Noah as his son, does not want him to know and does not want to
know anything about the genetic profile of the donor.

Answer 11

use rational argument to persuade Toby of what needs to be done
and then review the situation

(i think from the options in the lecture- double check)

Question 12

Describe historical changes in the nature of the family

Answer 12

According to the 2021 Families and Households Data (Office for National Statistics)

• the number of cohabiting couple families saw an
  increase of 22.9% over the last decade
• the number of people living alone in the UK has
  increased by 8.3% over the last 10 years
• 3.6 million people aged 20 to 34 years were living at
  home with their parents; this represents an increase
  from a decade ago
• In 2019 there were 212,000 same-sex families in
  the UK, having increased by 40% since 2015. The
  Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 legalized
  same-sex marriage in England and Wales from 13
  March 2014 and from 16 December 2014 in
  Scotland.

Question 13

continuation- how ideas of love+intimacy and childhood have changed?

Answer 13

• love+intimacy:

The Transformation of Intimacy
(Giddens, 1992)
◦ Romantic love is an invention of
the late 18th century
◦ Sex is untied from reproduction
◦ ‘Plastic sexuality – sexuality freed
from its intrinsic relation to
reproduction’

• Childhood: The ideas of childhood is changing: in medieval Europe Philip Aries (1965) argues childhood did not exist- paintings during this times portray children as little adults with mature faces and same style of dress as their elders

Question 14

Describe the role of informal caring within families

Answer 14

The term (informal)*carer*
 generally refers to non-paid family carers, such as spouses, adult children or other relatives and friends. 

• Whilst it is often assumed that carers are adults, there is a significant number of young people undertaking such roles for parents or siblings.
• Informal unpaid carers are integral to health and social care provision across the world.

There is huge variation in carers’ roles and responsibilities.

They help maintain a sense of (1) continuity in the lives of those they care for and (2) identity of the person receiving care. Carers try to maintain their own sense of self, which can be challenging. Caring can range from helping with everyday tasks such as getting out of bed and dressing, to providing emotional support for someone living with symptoms of mental illness. Informal care can also mean providing personal care such as bathing and toileting. It can involve managing symptoms such as incontinence. Living with, and managing, such symptoms can contribute to the social isolation of both the carer and the person being cared for. This can be distressing for both people and being in a close relationship – e.g. being a partner – does not necessarily make attending to intimate care less problematic.

• Relatives and friends provide a considerable amount of care, saving our economy billions of pounds.
• Carers’ backgrounds can impact on their experience of caring and contact with services.
• There are four models of care: carers as resources, co-workers, co-clients and superseded carers.
• Being a carer can have adverse effects on the carer’s life in terms of physical and mental health, social isolation and employment.

Question 15

What are the contemporary (UK) social norms what parents should do?

Answer 15

◦ Take on responsibility for children, not exploit them, protect them
◦ Provide them with good education
◦ Decide for children under the age of consent
Emphasis on child’s agency