Family Functionality, a Perception of Mothers and School Children: Primary Care Program, Guapi-Cauca, Colombia

Abstract

Introduction: The family keeps being the key foundation to the development of children in Latin America, and the woman has taken on the role of head of the household. However, diverse problems or changes affecting families put stress on them and therefore, on their children as well. Objective: To describe the effect of a Primary Health Care Program (PHC) in family functionality from the perception of mothers and school children, Guapi-Cauca. Methodology: A quasi-experimental study without a control group. Large and poor families participated in it. This program was built along with the community, with care actions culturally adapted. Data was collected with the Family Functioning Effectiveness Scale (ASF-E 20), processed and analyzed with descriptive methods and Wilcoxon signed rank test. Some ethical aspects were considered as well. Results: Both, children and mothers perceive low family functioning. The primary health care program achieved statistically significant effects on the perception of school children about general family functioning and on the goals of the family system: stability, control, spirituality and growth, contributing to improve communication, transmission of culture, special celebrations, family union with expressions of love, affection, happiness, increased self-esteem, individual and family confidence, participation, sense of responsibility about selfcare and projection for the future of themselves and their families. In mothers, the outcomes were not statistically significant; however, the program was able to strengthen the celebration of special dates, communication, preservation of traditions and problem solving family, which allowed women to be prouder, safer and happier of themselves. Conclusions: The PHC program statistically achieved significant effects about the perception of family functioning in school children and not in mothers who cause family dysfunction when living in precarious conditions. [Barreto-Zorza YM, Velásquez-Gutiérrez VF. Family Functionality, a Perception of Mothers and School Children: Primary Care Program, Guapi-Cauca, Colombia. MedUNAB 2016; 18(3)166-173].