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Chapter 5 - Chronic Illness and the Family Unit

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 January 2020

Kristin H. Kroll
Kristin H. Kroll
Affiliation:
Medical College of Wisconsin
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Summary

This chapter focuses on increasing awareness about navigating the health care system as a family unit and the impact of health literacy on medical outcomes, as well as techniques to help assess and improve health literacy for families. The reader will then be introduced to a review of the current research literature on risk factors and psychological outcomes associated with having a young member of the family experiencing medical problems. Particular emphasis is given to helping siblings of chronically ill children adjust to the change in family dynamics, as well as strategies for assessing and managing parental stress associated with a child’s chronic illness. Clinicians are also presented with applicable resources that will assist them in ensuring the overall psychological health of the patient’s family members.

Keywords

health care systemsiblingparentparent illnesshealth literacy
Type
Chapter
Information
Pediatric Psychology in Clinical Practice
Empirically Supported Interventions
 , pp. 83 - 100
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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References

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