A Community-Based Intervention Program to Enhance Family Communication and Family Well-being: The Learning Families Project in Hong Kong

BACKGROUND Family e-chat groups are commonly used, but little is known about its associations with family and individual well-being amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE Under the Hong Kong Jockey Club SMART Family-Link project, we examined the associations of family e-chat group use amidst the COVID-19 pandemic with family well-being and personal happiness, and the mediating effects of family communication quality on these associations. METHODS A territory-wide self-administered online survey was conducted in May 2020 on Chinese adults in Hong Kong. Respondents reported the number of family e-chat groups (0, 1, 2, ≥3), the instant messaging (IM) functions used (receiving/sending text messages, photos/pictures, short videos, voice messages, making voice calls and video calls), and the average numbers of IM messages sent and received daily (<1, 1-2, 3-10, 11-20, >20) in family e-chat groups. Prevalence was weighted by sex, age, and education of the general population. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) for IM function use by demographics were calculated. Adjusted β for family well-being (health, harmony, and happiness), and personal happiness (all scale 0-10, higher scores indicate better outcomes) by number of family e-chat groups and IM function use were calculated, and the mediation effect of family communication quality on these associations examined. RESULTS Of 4890 respondents, 4046 (82.7%) had ≥1 family e-chat group. Sending/receiving text messages was most commonly used (weighted prevalence: 78.4%), followed by receiving/sending photos/pictures (76.5%), making voice calls (46.2%), receiving/sending short videos (37.2%) and voice messages (13.8%), and making video calls (8.2%). Women and older age were associated with having more groups (aPRs: 1.04-1.22, all P≤.03) and non-text function use (aPRs: 1.10-3.10, P≤.02). Better family well-being was associated with having more groups (β: 0.23-0.77), receiving/sending photos/pictures (β: 0.33), voice calls (β: 0.18), video calls (β: 0.45), more IM functions used (β: 0.43-0.51), and more IM messages received/sent daily (β: 0.38-0.54) (all P≤.01). Higher personal happiness was associated with having more groups (β: 0.30-0.72), receiving/sending photos/pictures (β: 0.30), video calls (β: 0.32), more IM functions use (β: 0.36-0.42) and more IM messages received/sent daily (β: 0.42-0.67) (all P≤.01). Family communication quality mediated the associations of more groups and more IM functions used with family well-being (mediated proportions: 75.5% and 69.5%, respectively) and personal happiness (mediated proportions: 66.4% and 46.2%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS This is the first study showing that, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, having more family e-chat groups and using more IM functions including sending/receiving photos/pictures and making video calls in family e-chat groups, were associated with better family well-being and personal happiness, and about half to three-quarters of these associations were mediated by family communication quality. Prospective studies are needed to confirm the associations. People without or with low use of family e-chat groups would need more attention and assistance.

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Train-the-trainer programmes for community-based intervention projects to enhance family well-being in Hong Kong

10.5353/th_991043982883603414 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Yuen-kwan, Agnes Lai

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

Well Being ◽

Community Based ◽

Train The Trainer

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Use of Mobile Instant Messaging Chat Group is Associated with Family Functioning and Well-Being in Chinese Adults in Hong Kong (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.18876 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Shengzhi Zhao ◽

Tzu Tsun Luk ◽

Ningyuan Guo ◽

Man Ping Wang ◽

Agnes Yuen Kwan Lai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

Family Functioning ◽

Family Communication ◽

Instant Messaging ◽

Well Being ◽

Mediating Effect ◽

Mediation Effect ◽

Chinese Adults ◽

Scale Family ◽

The Family

BACKGROUND Convenient and quality family communication improves family functioning and well-being. Using mobile instant messaging (IM) for family communication is increasingly popular but its association with family functioning and family well-being has not been reported. OBJECTIVE To examine the association of the use of family IM chat groups with family functioning and well-being and the mediating effect of family communication quality among Chinese adults in Hong Kong. METHODS We analyzed data from the Family and Health Information Trend Survey (FHInTS), a territory-wide, probability-based telephone survey conducted in 2017. The quality of family communication, family functioning and well-being were assessed by using the Family Communication Scale, Family APGAR (Adaptation, Partnership, Growth, Affection and Resolve) and Family Well-being Scale (family heath, harmony, and happiness), respectively. Respondents also reported the number of family IM chat groups (0, 1, 2, ≥3), the number of IM messages received (<1, 1-2, 3-10, 11-20, >20) and sent (<1, 1-2, 3-10, 11-20, >20) daily. Frequency of family IM chat interaction (ranged from 0 to 10) was calculated by combining the variable of the number of messages received and the number of messages sent in the family IM chat groups daily. Data were weighted by sex, age, and education of the general population. Adjusted beta-coefficient (β) of family functioning and well-being in relation to having family IM chat group, and messages received and sent. The mediation effect of family communication on these associations were assessed controlling for demographics. RESULTS A random sample of 1638 Chinese adult (mean ± SD age: 56.4±19.2, male: 45.6%) were interviewed (response rate: 74.4%). Female, younger age, being married or cohabiting, higher education, higher income, better family functioning and well-being were associated with having at least one family IM chat group (all P <.01). Higher scores of family communication, family APGAR and family well-being were associated with having more family IM chat groups and more messages received from and sent to family IM chat groups daily (β ranged 0.25 to 6.77, all P for trend ≤ 0.001). More frequent family IM chat interaction was associated with higher score of family communication, family APGAR and family well-being (all P for trend < 0.001). Effect of family IM chat interaction on family functioning and well-being were moderately (53.1-67.5%) mediated by family communication. CONCLUSIONS The use of family IM chat group was associated with higher family functioning and well-being, and the association was partially mediated by family communication.

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Development and evaluation of a training workshop for lay health promoters to implement a community-based intervention program in a public low rent housing estate: The Learning Families Project in Hong Kong

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0183636 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 12 (8) ◽

pp. e0183636 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Agnes Y. Lai ◽

Sunita M. Stewart ◽

Alice Wan ◽

Helen Fok ◽

Hebe Y. W. Lai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

Intervention Program ◽

Housing Estate ◽

Training Workshop ◽

Community Based

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Framework for an Evidence-Based Physical Activity Intervention: Promoting Healthy Communities

Building Healthy Academic Communities Journal ◽

10.18061/bhac.v1i1.5745 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 17

Author(s):

Laura E. Bruno

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Goodness Of Fit ◽

Intervention Program ◽

Physical Activity Intervention ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Self Report ◽

Future Research ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Community Based

Purpose: Identifying best practices in successful community based intervention programs is critical to improving the health concerns that currently afflict our nation. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a community-based physical activity (PA) intervention program in order to share an evidence-based framework that can be used in community settings, including academic communities. The specific objectives of this study were to determine the effectiveness of a community based PA intervention program, specifically noting changes in perceived levels of (a) self-esteem, (b) body size satisfaction, (c) frequency of physical activity and (d) commitment levels the longer a participant engaged in the program.Method: The cross-sectional, quantitative self-report survey design utilized a 29-item web-based questionnaire. A sample of participants (N = 383 (Mage = 43 years; SD = 7 years; 100% women) from the Mullica Hill Women’s Triathlon Club self-selected to participate. Results: Independent sample t-tests ascertained that the longer a participant engaged in the program, the more her perceived self-esteem improved and the more committed she became to PA. Chi square goodness of fit analyses further demonstrated that a woman’s age impacted her level of satisfaction with her body. Conclusions: Opportunities to participate in a community based intervention program should be extended throughout all communities in an effort to improve holistic well-being. Further, type and duration as well as point of data collection of such programs should be differentiated in future research.

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