The effects of family structure and function on mental health during China’s transition: a cross-sectional analysis

BMC Family Practice

Research Article

Yuan Liang¹  Beizhu Ye¹  Fang Wang¹  Yao Cheng¹  Liuyi Zhang¹  Ping Zhang¹ 

[1] Department of Social Medicine and Health Management, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China;

关键词: Mental health;    Family structure;    Family function;    Urban–rural difference;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12875-017-0630-4

 received in 2016-02-24, accepted in 2017-04-14,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundSocial change, intensified by industrialization and globalization, has not only changed people’s work lives but also their personal lives, especially in developing countries. The aim of this study was to provide evidence and recommendations regarding family structure, function, and mental health to actively respond to rapid social change.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted face-to-face and door-to-door from July 2011 to September 2012 in Hubei Province, central China. Family structure comprised alone, couple, nuclear family, and extended family; family function was measured using the family APGAR (Adaptation, Partnership, Growth, Affection, and Resolve) scale, and mental health was measured using the Chinese version of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12).ResultsThe urban-vs-rural difference of family structure among alone, couple, nuclear family, and extended family was statistically significant (5.21% vs 4.62%; 27.36% vs 13.14%; 33.22% vs 27.74%; 34.20% vs 54.50%, respectively; p < 0.0001); and those difference of family function was not statistically significant (8.11 ± 2.13 vs 8.09 ± 2.27, p = 0.9372). The general linear regression showed that the effect of family structure on mental health, whether urban or rural, was not significant, however, the effect of family function was significant, especially regarding better family functioning with better mental health.ConclusionsCombined the effects of family structure and function on mental health, the external form of family (family structure) may not be important; while the internal quality of role (family function) might be key. Improving the residents’ family function would be a priority strategy for family practice with their mental health.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017