Family harmony, an important Confucian ideal in Chinese society is believed to determine family happiness and therefore health, but is this accurate? This is a qualitative study of 41 Hong Kong Chinese family members. Individual recorded interviews were thematically analysed describing perceived interactions between harmony, happiness and health. Family harmony comprised four components: communication, mutual respect, lack of conflict and family time [notably 'Gou tong' (in Cantonese )-opportunity and willingness to spend time together-requiring good interpersonal communication, emphasized by female respondents]. Lack of conflict was emphasized, while diverse values, parenting styles and financial difficulties were common causes of conflict. Respect required reciprocity. Family happiness comprised four elements: family harmony, an important pre-requisite; mutual caring and supportive orientation; sense of security emphasizing financial security in middle-class versus sense of togetherness in lower social class groups and contentment. Healthy families were harmonious; 'typical' (children/two-parent/two-grandparent); happy; caring and respectful, with individual health and healthy behaviours. Family harmony, happiness and health are interrelated and built on a communicative, respectful, caring and contented set of attitudes, in particular allowing for family time. Harmony is apparently a core element of good family functioning.
This paper examines the views of Hong Kong community leaders on the underlying issues that affect family health, happiness and harmony (3Hs) in Hong Kong. Using a community reconnaissance method, a series of individual in-depth interviews with 26 leaders that represent neighbourhoods of diverse socio-economic status (SES) from June to August 2008 were conducted. Participants considered that changing family structure, economic situation and strong work ethic are the most salient factors that affect family 3Hs. The deprived comprehensive social security assistance recipients, single-parent families and migrant women were considered to be the most vulnerable groups to breakdown in family 3Hs and particularly, they lack family resources. Families from different SES have to overcome different challenges in order to achieve and sustain family 3Hs. Leaders from low SES neighbourhood were concerned more about providing tangible help such as child care facilities to improve family resources, whereas leaders from high SES neighbourhood focused more on preventive interventions such as education on relationship skills to achieve better family well-being. The findings offer insights in designing effective social marketing education campaigns and family-friendly workplace policy to promote social harmony through the maintenance of 3Hs families.
The FAMILY Cohort is a longitudinal study of health, happiness and family harmony (the '3Hs') at individual, household and neighbourhood levels in Hong Kong. Using a family living in the same household as the sampling unit, the study (n = 20 279 households and 46 001 participants) consists of a composite sample from several sources, including: a population-representative random core sample (n = 8115 households and 19 533 participants); the first-degree relatives of this sample (n = 4658 households and 11 063 participants); and oversampling in three new towns (n = 2891 households and 7645 participants) and in three population subgroups with anticipated changes in family dynamics (n = 909 households and 2160 participants). Two household visits and five telephone- or web-based follow-ups were conducted over 2009-14. Data collected include socio-demographics, anthropometrics, lifestyle and behavioural factors, measures of social capital, and standardized instruments assessing the 3Hs. We also intend to collect biomaterials in future. The analytical plan includes multilevel inter-relations of the 3Hs for individuals, households, extended families and neighbourhoods. With Hong Kong's recent history of socioeconomic development, the FAMILY Cohort is therefore relevant to global urban populations currently experiencing similarly rapid economic growth. The FAMILY Cohort is currently set up as a supported access resource.
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