Family, emotional impact

A growing number of families must live and cope with food allergy on a day to day basis, socio-emotional impact of food allergy on children, and adolescents has been little researched to date (DunnGalvin et al., 2007). Although researchers in the field of food allergy have stated that the scarcity in psychological and social literature on the experience of... 

The emotional impact is particularly complex because a medical injury differs from most other accidents in some important respects. First, patients have been harmed, unintentionally, by people in whom they placed considerable trust, and so their reaction may be especially powerful and hard to cope with. Imagine the complex of emotions you might experience if you were injured by a member of your own family. Second, they are often cared for by the same professions, and perhaps the same people, as those involved in the original injury. As they may have been very frightened by what has happened to them, and have a range of conflicting feelings about those involved, this too can be very difficult, even when staff are sympathetic and supportive. 

Newman, M.C. (1996) The emotional impact of mistakes on family physicians. hrcWves of Family Medicine, 5(2), 71-75. 

The results of genetic tests can have an emotional and medical impact on a whole family. Physicians and genetic counselors work with the patient and the entire family to make sure the medical and social significance of the results is understood. As more genetic tests are developed and methods are established to reduce the inherited risk, the issue will have to be addressed, or people will avoid tests that might allow treatments to lengthen or improve their lives. 

Job productivity suffers because of the impact poor personal financial behaviors have on family fife (Garman, Leech, and Grable, 1996). For example, poor personal financial decisions may lead to loss of transportation, loss of the ability to obtain credit and adequate housing, arguments with relatives, emotional stress, spouse/child abuse, and divorce. These decisions manifest in dysfunctional work behaviors such as absenteeism, tardiness, and reduced job productivity. Table 19-1 summarizes the potential costs associated with poor employee financial behaviors. 

Many times, AD is not perceived as a major iUness and is frequently dismissed as a minor skin condition. However, studies have demonstrated considerable financial, emotional, and social impact on families of those with moderate or severe AD. An Australian study reported results of significantly more stress in taking care of a child with moderate or severe AD than that involved with care of a child with insulin-dependent diabetes. Disturbed or lack of sleep has also been reported. In the United States, AD accounts for 4% of emergency department visits. The health systems of all countries are burdened with the economic load of AD s direct and indirect costs of treatment and social morbidity. ... 

Birth control has been a major and emotional issue for individuals, families, societies, and religions for centuries. What is beyond controversy is the profound impact the pill has had in societies where it has been widely available starting in the 1960s. 

Workplace incidents cause an enormous amount of physical, financial and emotional hardship for individual workers and their families. Combined with insufficient workers compensation benefits and inadequate medical insurance, woikplace injuries and illnesses can not only cause physical pain and suffering but also loss of employment and wages, burdensome debt, inability to maintain a previous standard of living, loss of home ownership and even bankruptcy. When implemented effectively, injury and illness prevention programs can help workers and their families avoid these disruptive and sometimes calanutous impacts on their lives. 

Farmer, E. M. Z., Bums, B. J., Angold, A., Costello, E. J. (1997). Impact of children s mental health problems on families Relationships with service use. Journal of Emotional 8 Behavioral Disorders, 5(4), 230-238. 

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