A Fundamental Tool of the General Doctor: Knowledge of the Family Life Cycle

Among the fundamental tools of the clinical work of the general practitioner (GP), an important one is knowledge of family health. These data are essential for the comprehensive study of the patient and her family. The family health study is a type of research that takes the family as the unit of analysis to generate knowledge about the relationship of this social group with the health of its members and the community. It aims to reflect the multiple and complex interactions between society, the family and health, as well as between health policies, health care systems and family needs. For the GP, working with a family health approach is assuming a biopsychosocial framework.