Dataset Information

A Community-Based Intervention Program to Enhance Family Communication and Family Well-being: The Learning Families Project in Hong Kong.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Family communication is important to maintain family relationships and family well-being. To enhance family communication and family well-being, a community-based "Learning Families Project," based on the social ecological model was developed in Kwun Tong in Hong Kong, a district with high prevalence of family problems. METHODS:This quasi-experimental study included two nearby government subsidized low-rent housing estates separated by busy main roads, as the intervention [Tsui Ping (South) Estate] and control (Shun Tin Estate) estate. The main intervention was resident training programs, such as talks, day camps, and thematic activities. No program was implemented in the control estate. Participants in the intervention group received assessments before the intervention (T1), immediately after the intervention (T2), and 6?weeks after the intervention (T3). Control group participants were assessed at baseline (March to April 2011) and follow-up (December 2011 to March 2012). Assessments of family communication (time and perceived adequacy) and family well-being (harmony, happiness, and health) at T1 and T3 were obtained in the intervention group to examine within-group changes. In addition, these differences in outcomes in the intervention group were compared with those in the control group to examine the effectiveness of the intervention. RESULTS:Family communication time and perceived communication adequacy increased significantly in the intervention group (n?=?515) with a small effect size (Cohen effect d: 0.10 and 0.24, respectively). Compared with the control group (n?=?476), the improvements in family communication time and perceived communication adequacy (Cohen effect d: 0.13 and 0.14, respectively), and perceived family harmony and happiness (Cohen effect d: 0.12 and 0.12, respectively) were significantly greater in the intervention group, adjusting for age and education, suggesting the intervention was effective in improving family communication and family well-being. Mediation analysis showed that perceived communication adequacy mediated the effects of the intervention on family harmony [??=?0.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.03, 0.18], happiness (??=?0.12, 95% CI 0.04, 0.20), and health (??=?0.10, 95% CI 0.02, 0.17), adjusting for age and education. CONCLUSION:This community intervention based on the social ecological model improved family well-being through improving family communication, which could be an effective target to promote family well-being in other communities. TRIAL REGISTRATION:This study was registered under ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT02851667. URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02851667?term=02851667&rank=1.

SUBMITTER: Shen C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5649187 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A Community-Based Intervention Program to Enhance Family Communication and Family Well-being: The Learning Families Project in Hong Kong.

Shen Chen C Wan Alice A Kwok Lit Tung LT Pang Sally S Wang Xin X Stewart Sunita M SM Lam Tai Hing TH Chan Sophia Siu Chee SSC

Frontiers in public health 20170929

<h4>Background</h4>Family communication is important to maintain family relationships and family well-being. To enhance family communication and family well-being, a community-based "Learning Families Project," based on the social ecological model was developed in Kwun Tong in Hong Kong, a district with high prevalence of family problems.<h4>Methods</h4>This quasi-experimental study included two nearby government subsidized low-rent housing estates separated by busy main roads, as the interventi ...[more]

PMID: 29085815

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Project description:Population aging is a major concern worldwide. Active aging should be promoted by increasing the social participation of older adults and enabling them to remain involved in the community. Research has demonstrated the utility of digital resources for addressing the needs of older adults, which include networking, entertaining, and seeking health-related information. However, the digital divide among older adults (i.e., the "gray digital divide") is increasingly being recognized as a social problem that may be related to poor well-being. To obtain updated local data on the prevalence of Internet access and usage and their relationship with perceived well-being, we conducted telephone interviews with a random sample of 1018 older adults in Hong Kong from January to July 2021 (This research has received funding support from the Interdisciplinary Research Matching Scheme, Hong Kong Baptist University). We found that only 76.5% of the participants had Internet access at home, a mobile phone data plan, or both, whereas 36.3% had never used Internet services and 18.2% had no digital devices. A younger age, male gender, higher education level, living with others, and higher self-perceived social class were associated with material access to digital devices and everyday use of Internet services. Participants who accessed the Internet every day had higher levels of life satisfaction and self-rated physical and mental health than those who rarely or never used the Internet. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that digital skills were significantly associated with self-rated mental health even when controlling for demographic variables (including age, gender, education level, and self-perceived social class). This study contributes to the limited body of literature on the relationship between Internet use, digital skills, and perceived well-being. Our findings highlight the importance of addressing the digital divide even in cities with high penetration of information and communication technology, such as Hong Kong. We also discuss our insights into the use of timely interventions for older adults to address the gray digital divide.

Project description:BackgroundDespite compelling evidence demonstrating the negative impact of poverty and income disparity on children's psychological well-being, there has been a lack of qualitative information which addresses its contributing factors. This study aimed to shed light on this area by comparing the experiences toward daily life between children living in low- and high-income families.MethodsA qualitative study using a phenomenological approach was conducted from May 2012 to January 2013. A random sample of 42 children aged 10-13, with 25 from low- and 17 from high-income families were asked to voluntarily response to a demographic sheet and undergo individual semi-structured interviews which lasted about 25-30 min. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. Approval for the study was obtained from the Institutional Review Board of the University of Hong Kong/Hospital Authority Hong Kong West Cluster (reference UW 12-237).ResultsThe findings of this study revealed that the living environment, physical health, social life and ability to function at school of children from low-income families are severely impaired.ConclusionsIt fills a gap in the literature by showing how poverty and income disparity affect the daily lives of children from low-income families on different levels. Also, adopting a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits are possible factors mediating the effects of poverty and income disparity on the psychological well-being of children from low-income families. It is vital for healthcare professionals going beyond their normal roles to give advice on healthy lifestyles and behaviors by building multidisciplinary partnerships with schools and the community. Additionally, healthcare professionals should also target on these two possible factors to develop and implement appropriate interventions for promoting the psychological well-being among children living in poverty. Trial registration NCT02877719. 19 August 2016 retrospectively registered.

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Dataset Information

A Community-Based Intervention Program to Enhance Family Communication and Family Well-being: The Learning Families Project in Hong Kong.

Publications

A Community-Based Intervention Program to Enhance Family Communication and Family Well-being: The Learning Families Project in Hong Kong.

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