Genograms and the vital cycle of a family

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the importance of the genogram in order to identify the family vital cycle stages and demographic aspects related to the first two phases of this cycle. To study frequency of the vital cycle stages in families from 2 health centers and their relationships with behavioral and emotional traits and with health problems. DESIGN: Transversal descriptive study. LOCALE: Primary Health Care; Health Care Centers in Cartuja and Almanjayar. PATIENTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS: 347 genograms were compiled and analyzed by 6 licensed nurses. RESULTS: The reading of genograms made it possible to identify the vital family cycle stages in 97% of those studied. We discovered that 28.6% of the families were in Stage IV; 20% in Stage II-A; and 15% in Stage V. It appears that the contraction stage occurs more frequently in the Cartuja Health Center. The starting age of the formative stage has been reducing since the 1960s; at present it is at 21.7 years for males and 19 for females. The average duration which couples took to pass on to the II-A extension stage was 1.62 years. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that a genogram is an excellent tool to use to classify families according to the vital family cycle stages. Furthermore, to be able to identify the point where a family lies in this cycle is an important piece of data in a nurse's work.