Resumo

AMARAL, Fabienne Louise Juvêncio dos Santos; GUERRA, Ricardo Oliveira; NASCIMENTO, Aline Freire Falcão  e  MACIEL, Álvaro Campos Cavalcanti. Profile of the social support for the elderly in the city of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, 2010-2011. Epidemiol. Serv. Saúde [online]. 2013, vol.22, n.2, pp.335-346. ISSN 1679-4974.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5123/S1679-49742013000200015.

OBJECTIVE: to describe social support for elderly residents in a community in the city of Natal, state of Rio Grande do Norte. METHODS: a descriptive study conducted between November/2010 and July/2011 with a convenience sample of 300 elderly people. We used a structured questionnaire to obtain sociodemographic, economic and physical health data. The 'Health, Welfare and Aging' survey questionnaire and the Minimum Map of Elderly Connections' were used to assess social support. The data underwent descriptive statistical analysis. RESULTS: 26.3% of the elderly were found to have low frequency of aid received and 25.7% had low frequency of aid provided. Family members were seen to be the principal aid providers. CONCLUSION: the elderly support network is completed through expressive ties with family, friends and community members. The absence of aid provided by health services stood out.

Palavras-chave : Aged; Health of the Elderly; Social Support; Social Network; Epidemiology; Descriptive.

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