Exploring Health models of Iranian Family: A Qualitative Study

The aim of this study was to determine the Iranian families’ view on the concept of “Family Health“. The study was done by qualitative method and samples were collected through purposive sampling. Among 104 semi-structured interviews with different ethnic groups and geographic regions, 74 interviews recognized qualified to analyze. Colaizzi method was used for analyzing recorded data which leaded to categorizing family health into four classes: individual health, institutional health, interactional health, and social health. Comparing characteristics of healthy and unhealthy families in this study showed that based on Iranian families’ opinion healthy family is objectivist and survival-involved, functional, religious, traditional, hierarchical, interdependent, pluralist, conservative, anxious and exhibitive. Although, Iranian family tend toward modernism, but from perspective of participants in this study, unhealthy family has elements of modernity rather than tradition. It seems that ideal pattern for Iranian family is defined more appropriately as hierarchical and pluralist structure.