Open family get-togethers—an instrument for health promotion?: Quantitative study of motivations and structure of visitors

Abstract

Background: Open family get-togethers are considered easy-to-use options to offer family education and strengthen family cohesion as they allow for meaningful encounters and support programs for families with diverse sociodemographic backgrounds. Objective: Open family get-togethers are examined as a potential means of health promotion for families in deprived circumstances. For that reason, motivations for visiting open family get-togethers in one community were analyzed following a comparative approach. Thus, motivations for visiting were compared between families with high as well as with low risks of disadvantage, respectively. In this regard, the risks of disadvantage is operationalized into financial, social, cultural, familial and physical–psychological dimensions. Methods: A quantitative survey of visitors was performed in twelve open family get-togethers in a community in Baden-Württemberg (Germany). The statistical analysis is based on bivariate calculation and an explorative factor analysis. Results: In the final analyses, no significant differences were found between the participating families. However, families with a higher risk of facing financial disadvantages more often name support by professionals and wellbeing during the open family get-togethers as the motivation for attending, whereas culturally disadvantaged families give support for child development as the reason to visit. Conclusion: Open family get-togethers reach families in diverse circumstances. For the future, a stronger focus on the needs and necessities of disadvantaged families would be desirable in order to further increase program utilization.