Most of our lives are spent with our family members. We learn our health habits and eating habits also from our family. Most of our leisure time is also spent with the members of the family. Therefore, the family has a great impact on our health.

In grade 6 you learnt about the concept of health and the importance of physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being for a healthy life.

Health promotion is the process of enabling people to improve their health by gaining control over factors affecting health.

Most often all the members of a family live together, but sometimes either the father or the mother may live separately due to their employment. Children may stay in hostels or in children’s homes either for educational purposes or for other reasons. Although staying at such places is temporary, children will have to live according to the rules and regulations of such institutions. In such places children may not be able to make changes. In a family, parents and children live together. They have the freedom to take their own decisions and have more freedom to act on their own. Therefore, there is both the possibility as well as a responsibility to promote good health within the family.

A family environment must be a place where everyone can be happy.

A healthy physical, mental and social environment is vital for a healthy

family environment. Let us learn about the features that are necessary

for the promotion of a healthy physical, mental and social environment.

1.Fresh air

When building a house, the compound and the doors and windows

should be so designed as to allow fresh air in to the house. Growing

trees in the compound will provide fresh air and maintain temperature.

Burning of substances such as polythene and plastic should be avoided

as it produces gases harmful to health. Diseases in the respiratory system

can be caused by breathing polluted air. Therefore it is important that

we have fresh air in our homes.

2.Clean water

By drinking clean water infectious diseases such as diarrhoea can be

avoided. Boiled and cooled water should be used for drinking. Some

toxic chemicals and germs can be removed by using filters.

3. Healthy food

Food containing excessive amounts of sugar, salt and oil should

be avoided as far as possible. Greens, fruits and vegetables should

be included in our daily meals. In the case of pregnant mothers and

children with special requirements, care should be taken to prepare

food rich in protein and minerals. You who are now going through your

adolescence, should be particularly mindful to eat food containing more

iron and protein. Nevertheless, a balanced healthy diet is important for

every family member.

4. Sanitary facilities

The environment can be kept clean by having good drainage systems,

proper sanitary facilities and good garbage disposal systems. Cleaning

the toilet daily using an antiseptic will help in preventing diseases.

5.Clean environment

Breeding sites of dengue mosquitoes can be minimized by cleaning the

house and the compound at least once a week and destroying sites of

water collection. We can also prevent the propagation of rats and destroy

places where reptiles could live in. A tidy environment will minimize

accidents. A pleasant environment will bring mental satisfaction.

6.Sufficient space

There should be a sufficient number of bed rooms and other necessary

facilities adequate for the size of the family. This will help to get fresh

air and create a pleasant environment.

7.Tranquillity

It is always good to maintain a tranquil environment at home, free of

unnecessary noise. When listening to the radio and watching television , one

should maintain the volume of sound at a suitable level, being mindful

not to disturb the neighbours.

8. Being free of the danger of accidents

Most domestic accidents result due to ignorance, carelessness and mistakes.

Therefore such accidents can be prevented by acting with awareness and

taking proper care. Following are some examples for minimising such accidents:

• Maintaining electric wires and plug bases with proper covering.

• Constructing safety walls or fences around dangerous places like wells.

• Keeping the home environment clean

Love

Love and strong bonds should exist among the

members of a family. Wherever you live, even

in a hostel or a children’s home, it is important

to maintain strong bonds and love with the

fellow members and guardians. Family bonds

create an environment where every member

of the family treats one another with love,

inquires about the needs of other members and treats problems of other

members as their own.

Protection

Love, protection and security are received by all members of a family

living together. You need the protection and the security of your parents

or guardians during your childhood.

Relaxation

When leisure is spent in a productive manner, many things such

as knowledge, creativity, enjoyment and physical fitness improve

significantly. Reading, building a small library at home, watching or listening to selected television or radio programmes and discussing

about them, participating in games and engaging in activities with

members of the family are some productive activities which you can

engage in, during your leisure.

When there is love, protection and relaxation, one will not experience

stress. Such an environment will not leave room for harassment.

You will learn more about love and protection in the next chapter.

Social environment

The different groups in our society can be collectively identified as the

social environment. Some of these groups are family, hostel, school,

friends, work place and village. An environment where people mutually

help each other, exchange ideas and have recreational facilities, is

important for the promotion of good health.

Mentioned below are a few features of a good social environment.

Good interpersonal relationships

This refers to the maintenance of good

relationships with different people we meet in our day to day life while

helping each other. Maintaining good relationships with the members

of the family, neighbours, relatives, friends and other groups of people,

will make us happy.

We must set aside at least half an hour each day to have friendly

discussions with all the members of the family. Discussing what took

place at school or at the work place, inquiring about matters of interest

and mutual understanding will make family ties stronger. Living in

such a family environment will bring happiness to every one. You also

have a role to play in avoiding arguments and punishments at home.

Not only at home, wherever you live, you should try to live in such a

way that bring happiness to the others living with you.

Duties and responsibilities

Fulfilling one's duties and responsibilities towards the family and

one's neighbours, is a sign of a healthy family. You should also share

responsibility and perform duties to the extent you can.

Productive communication

Clear communication among members of the family help to avoid or

solve disputes.

Discipline

Your parents or guardians lay down simple rules for your conduct in the

family. Observing such rules will ensure you a good future. There can

be various rules within a family.

Unity and respect

Working together in unity should always be encouraged not only within

the family, but also at school and village level. Developing leadership

qualities, respecting the leadership and understanding others will

facilitate this.

Family health promotion can be done under five main themes.

1. Establishing policies regarding health

2. Developing skills and knowledge on good health

3. Creating a healthy environment

4. Obtaining the support of the community

5. Making proper use of the health services provided

Establishing policies regarding health

All the members of the family should discuss and agree upon establishing

policies to promote the family health.

• Categorizing and disposal of waste according to its nature

• Minimizing the use of polythene

• Limiting the intake of sugar and salt

A 400g Packet of salt for a family of 4 for 20 days. (5g per person per day)

Only 2 tea spoons of sugar per person per day

• Instead of carbonated ( bubbling) drinks, consume fresh fruit juice, tea, coffee or herbal drinks.

• Washing clothes every other day and ironing clothes altogether once or twice a week in order to save water and electricity

• Engaging in an out door game with all the members of the family

Developing skills and knowledge on good health

The knowledge gained at school and from books, magazines, papers

etc. should be shared with the members of your family or living place.

By getting information from the Public Health Inspector (PHI) and

the Public Health Midwife (PHM) of your area and listening to health

programmes, you can develop your knowledge and skills on health.

Creating a healthy environment

Recall what you have already learnt about the features of a healthy

home environment. By organising the home environment accordingly, you

can create a healthy family environment.

It is also important to maintain contact with religious places, the school

and the Grama Niladari (village officer).You can organise shramadana

campaigns and public awareness programmes on prevention of alcohol,

narcotic drugs and smoking.

Making proper use of health services

The community health services are useful in improving the health of

the family. The service of the Public Health Midwife (PHM), the Public

Health Inspector (PHI) and the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) are

useful in this regard. Other than these people, hospital facilities are

available to get treatment for various diseases.

To make the best use of the health services available to you, follow the

instructions given below:

• If a member of your family has an infectious disease, inform the PHI.

• If a member of your family is pregnant, inform the PHM and get her

assistance.

• Remember to get vaccinations on time and get information from

PHM.

• Provide assistance to organize programmes to solve health problems

in the village.

eg: Eradication of Dengue

Prevention of smoking

Obtaining clean drinking water

• Being screened for common illnesses and attending clinics regularly.

eg: School medical inspection

Well - women clinics

Diabetes and high blood pressure clinics

• Obtaining correct health advice

• Getting advice on nutrition, reproductive health, life skills etc.

1. Fulfil your responsibilities towards the family

2. Follow correct food habits

• Avoid skipping breakfast

• Get into the habit of eating home- made food

3. Avoid smoking, consuming liquor and narcotic drugs

• Make family members aware of the ill-effects of these

• Guard yourself against attempts by others to get you involve in such

acts and if it happens, inform your parents/teachers.

• Protect your siblings from getting involved in these types of activities

4. Spend your leisure time constructively

• Engaging in aesthetic activities - singing, dancing, playing a

musical instrument and drawing

• Engaging in literary activities - writing and reading short stories,

poetry, etc

• Engaging in gardening

• Exercising or engaging in sports

5. Convey health messages to the family

• Share the latest knowledge with the family

• Dispel the wrong ideas and myths entertained by the family members

Promotion of family health is important to build a healthy society.

The features of a healthy family environment can be classified under

physical, social and mental environments.

Measures to promote family health can be discussed under five main

themes of establishing policies regarding health, developing knowledge

and skills on good health, creating a healthy environment, obtaining the

support of the community and making proper use of health services.

As a student you must contribute in various ways to build a healthy

family.