The functional health patterns are a framework for organizing and assessing an individual’s health status. This framework was developed by Marjory Gordon, a nursing theorist, and includes 11 different patterns that are important for understanding an individual’s overall health status. When assessing a family’s health status, these functional health patterns can be used to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
- Functional health management and health perception: The functional health pattern measures how the family views their overall health, as well as their abilities to manage it. This includes their knowledge of the risks and access to health care, as well as their adherence to preventive measures. Healthcare providers will be able to identify knowledge gaps and barriers that prevent effective management of health and offer education and resources for improving the health status of their family members by analyzing this pattern.
- Nutritional-metabolic pattern: This functional health pattern assesses the family’s dietary intake and its impact on their overall health. It includes factors such as the family’s eating habits, food preferences, and any nutritional deficiencies or excesses. Healthcare providers will assess this pattern to identify nutritional concerns or risks and offer education and resources that can help improve the family’s dietary habits and overall health.
- Elimination pattern: This functional health pattern assesses the family’s ability to eliminate waste products effectively. The family’s bowel and bladder habits and history of bowel, bladder, or urinary incontinence are all factors. This assessment allows healthcare professionals to identify potential issues or concerns in the elimination process and then provide resources and education that will help them improve their overall health and elimination patterns.
- Activity-exercise pattern: This functional health pattern assesses the family’s level of physical activity and its impact on their overall health. This includes their exercise habits and sedentary behavior, as well as any disabilities or limitations. Healthcare providers will be able to identify and address any exercise or activity risks and concerns. They can also provide resources and education that will help improve the family’s overall physical activity and health.
- Sleep-rest pattern: This functional health pattern assesses the family’s sleep and rest patterns and their impact on their overall health. This includes their sleeping habits and disorders as well as any psychological or physical factors that could affect their quality of sleep. This assessment allows healthcare professionals to identify sleep problems or concerns, and then provide resources and education to improve the family’s sleep and overall health.
- Cognitive-perceptual pattern: This functional health pattern assesses the family’s ability to think, reason, and process information effectively. This includes their attention and memory as well as psychological or neurological conditions that could affect their cognitive function. This assessment allows healthcare professionals to determine any cognitive or perceptional risks and concerns, and offer education and resources for the family in order to improve cognitive function and general health.
- Self-perception-self-concept pattern: This functional health pattern assesses the family’s self-image and self-esteem. This includes their self-confidence and body image as well as any social or psychological factors that could impact their self perception. Healthcare providers will assess this pattern and can help identify self-perception and self-concept concerns. They also provide resources and education to assist the family in improving their self-image, overall health and wellbeing.
- Role-relationship pattern: This functional health pattern assesses the family’s social and familial relationships and their impact on their overall health. This includes their family structure and communication patterns as well as any stressors or social conflicts. It can be found here