Projects will be graded based on creativity, design, organization of presentation and contributions to student or community learning. Chronic Illness Students may select a patient with a chronic illness from their preceptor's practice to study the impact of illness on the patient and family, and the impact of the family on the patient and illness. The patient should be selected from one that you have worked with who gives permission for a longer interview. A home visit will allow you to gather more information and to discuss the impact of the illness with the patient and family in greater depth. Listening to patients' life stories and experiences of illness allows physicians to better understand the patient's suffering, convey empathy, and develop plans which address the needs of the patient and family.
Family is defined as any group of people with biological, emotional or legal ties.
Gardner Press, 1980. Patients particularly appropriate for this project are those currently facing developmental challenges such as a birth or death, children moving away, retirement, etc. Students may select a problem seen commonly in primary care as long as they complete thoughtful research into some relevant question. Family Health Beliefs Ninety percent of all illness is managed within the family, including decisions about when, whether and where to seek care. Health behaviors and risk factors including diet, approach to exercise, and smoking, are often shared by family members and a family-approach towards health behavior modification is likely to be more effective.