Impact of household composition and family functioning on health of Hispanic mothers in mental health treatment: A secondary analysis study.

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Mothers with mental health problems are at risk of well‐being and experience lack of support.There is little research focusing on the effect of household composition on health of Hispanic mothers with mental illness.As the family is a central feature in Hispanic lives and there is a high dependence on the family for help, it is crucial to understand how household composition and family functioning influences Hispanic mothers' health and well‐being. What does the paper adds to existing knowledge?: Living with at least one other adult in the household are related to better Hispanic mothers' physical and psychological health.Mothers living with a greater number of adult in the house are more likely to have fatigue and depression.More family hassles are associated with worse health outcomes in Hispanic mothers with mental health problems What are the implications for practice?: There is a need to assess family members who are supportive to Hispanic mothers and to address families' basic needs in the intervention.Interventions for Hispanic mothers with mental health problems should be grounded in supporting the strengths of the Hispanic familial networks.A family‐centred approach for mothers with mental health problems requires integrated assessments and interventions including the families as units. Introduction: Household composition is seen as a critical factor for recovery of Hispanic mothers with mental illness, but little research has examined the relationship of household composition and health. Aim: This study examined how household composition and family functioning impact on both physical and psychological health of Hispanic mothers receiving outpatient mental health services. Method: The study analysed baseline data of 137 Hispanic mothers participating in a randomized trial of "Healthy Home," a family‐strengthening home health intervention. A bilingual (English/Spanish) research assessor interviewed participants regarding household composition, family hassles, family cohesion and mother's physical and psychological health. Results: Mothers living with at least one other adult and having fewer family hassles had better health outcomes. Mothers living with a greater number of adult in the house were more likely to have fatigue and depression. Discussion: Hispanic mothers having no adults to help them in the house are less able to maintain their physical and psychological health. A family‐centred approach for mothers requires integrated assessments and interventions including the families as units. Implication for practice: Interventions for Hispanic mothers with mental health problems should be grounded in supporting the values and strengths of the Hispanic familial networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]