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Published on: September 30, 2020
Social support perceived by elderly people in social vulnerability according to family functionality: a
Ana Laura de Souza E Silva1, Ana Carolina Ottaviani2, Fabiana de Souza Orlandi2
1Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Departamento de Enfermagem, Programa de Pós- Graduação em Enfermagem, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
Objective:
To compare the social support as perceived by elderly persons in a context of social vulnerability according to family functionality.
Method:
A cross-sectional study using a quantitative approach, carried out in São Carlos-SP, with 123 elderly people living in a context of high social vulnerability. The sample was divided into two groups: good family functionality and moderate/severe family dysfunction. Data was collected on sociodemographic characteristics, family functionality (Family APGAR) and social support (Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Scale). The Mann-Whitney, Chi-square and Fisher's exact statistical tests were used.
Results:
There was a statistically significant difference between social support and family functionality (p < 0.05). The group with good family functionality obtained higher median social support scores: affective 100.00; material 95.00; information 90.00; emotional 90.00; positive social interaction 85.00; when compared to the group with moderate/severe family dysfunction: affective 86.67; material 87.50; information 70.00; emotional 65.00; positive social interaction 65.00.
Conclusion:
Elderly persons living in dysfunctional families have less perceived social support when compared to those living in families with good family functionality.
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