Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China.
Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
BMC Public Health. 2024 Jan 11;24(1):160. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-17643-6.
Previous research has well-documented that family functioning is an important predictor of individuals' physical and mental health. However, relatively little research has explored family functioning at the family and population levels, such as changes in family functioning across years and whether predictors of family functioning differ across different family structures. Understanding of the changes in family functioning across years and factors promoting family functioning will inform the development of preventive measures to enhance family health and resilience. Objectives of the study were: (1) to examine the changes in family functioning across a 6-year study period and (2) to study protective factors associated with family functioning and the extent to which the factors are the same or different across different family structures.
The study involved secondary data analysis of the biannual Family Survey carried out by the Family Council, an advisory body to the Hong Kong government. A series of ANOVA and regression analyses were conducted using data of four population-based cross-sectional household surveys conducted in Hong Kong in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017.
There were some fluctuations in overall family functioning scores across the study period, but no significant difference was found between the scores in 2011 and 2017. Different predictors of family functioning were found for different family types, and frequent family communication was a common protective factor for most family types, including never married, married/cohabiting with children, and married/cohabiting with no children.
The study is among the first to examine changes in family functioning at the population level. Monitoring and addressing family functioning may help tackle various social problems and future public health crises. Interventions to promote family functioning should address both common and different protective factors of different family types.
先前的研究充分证明了家庭功能是个体身心健康的重要预测因素。然而，相对较少的研究探讨了家庭层面和人群层面的家庭功能，例如多年来家庭功能的变化，以及家庭功能的预测因素是否因不同的家庭结构而有所不同。了解多年来家庭功能的变化以及促进家庭功能的因素将为制定预防措施以增强家庭健康和适应力提供信息。本研究的目的是：（1）考察 6 年研究期间家庭功能的变化，（2）研究与家庭功能相关的保护因素，以及这些因素在不同家庭结构中是否相同或不同。
本研究对香港政府咨询机构家庭议会进行的两年一次的家庭调查进行了二次数据分析。使用香港在 2011 年、2013 年、2015 年和 2017 年进行的四次基于人群的横断面家庭调查的数据，进行了一系列方差分析和回归分析。
在研究期间，总体家庭功能评分存在一些波动，但 2011 年和 2017 年的评分没有显著差异。不同家庭类型的家庭功能有不同的预测因素，频繁的家庭沟通是大多数家庭类型（包括未婚、已婚/同居有子女和已婚/同居无子女）的共同保护因素。
本研究是首次在人群层面上考察家庭功能的变化。监测和解决家庭功能问题可能有助于解决各种社会问题和未来的公共卫生危机。促进家庭功能的干预措施应针对不同家庭类型的共同和不同的保护因素。
