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Illness can be a major interruption of family life. An additional instrumental task (managing the illness) is required at a time when the family's coping resources are decreased because one member can no longer meet its role obligations. An incomplete family, a badly functioning family or illness of a parent (instead of a child) are therefore frequently assumed to decrease coping ability.$$The findings from a random sample of households do not support this view. The incomplete and badly functioning families were more likely to be of low income, more likely to be black, and reported more illness and less preventive medical and dental care. But there were only minor differences in the proportion of acute or chronic illness that received medical attention. The relative amount of illness was underestimated, and coping ability was overestimated. Thus 53% of all families thought they had less illness than other families, and 60% reported they would have no problem at all coping with serious illness. It is argued that the sick role model possibly provides a well-structured coping ritual that may provide to many individuals a welcome feeling of control that is missing in other spheres of life.