Social support perceived by elderly people in social vulnerability according to family functionality: a cross-sectional study.
Ana Laura de Souza E Silva, Ana Carolina Ottaviani, Fabiana de Souza Orlandi and 4 others
PMID 37947163WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults in high social vulnerability reported more perceived social support when their family functioned well.
Those with moderate or severe family dysfunction reported lower support in all areas.
Key findings
01The final sample included 123 older adults, 83 with good family functionality and 40 with moderate or severe family dysfunction.
02Older adults with good family functionality reported higher perceived social support than those with moderate or severe dysfunction in total and in every dimension.
03Across the sample, affective support had the highest perceived support and positive social interaction had the lowest.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was cross-sectional and used a convenience sample, so it cannot show that family functionality causes social support or that the results apply to all older people. No sample size was calculated, and the authors state the results are exploratory rather than confirmatory. Only older adults living with another older adult were included, so the findings may not apply to older adults living alone or without same-generation family members. People with speech or hearing difficulties that could hinder questionnaire communication were excluded, so older adults with communication problems are not represented. Many identified households did not yield interviews: 98 people refused, 64 could not be found, 36 had moved, and 6 had died, which may affect who is represented. The social vulnerability index used was proposed in 2010, and the authors note that income changes may affect how well it reflects older adults' resources in 2019 and 2020.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that better family functionality causes more social support. The study measured both at the same time in older adults who lived with another older adult, so it can only show an association.