Psychosocial factors associated with perceived social support in Brazilian older people

Abstract

EnglishThe social support has been reported as playing an important role in the older people life due to its protection effect for health in this specific people. This paper aims to identify psychosocial predictors for perceived social support in Brazilian older people. The sample is constituted by 144 patients (Mage=69.3; SD=6.61). The data were collected through a questionnaire that included sociodemographic questions and scales for psychological variables (e.g. self-efficacy) studied. Lower age, higher level of education, being married or living in a stable union, low levels or absence of depression and high levels of self-efficacy are significant predictors of perceived social support in older people who were studied. Future interventions in older people health promotion context may consider these determinants portuguesO suporte social tem sido referido como de central importância na vida dos idosos devido ao seu efeito protetor para a saude. Este artigo objetivaidentificar os preditores psicossociais para o suporte social percebido em idosos brasileiros.A amostra e constituida por 144 idosos pacientes (M idade=69.3; DP=6.61). Os dados foram colhidos atraves de um questionario que incluiu questoes sociodemograficas e escalas para as dimensoes psicologicas do estudo (eg. auto-eficacia). Menor idade, maior nivel de educacao, ser casado ou viver unido, baixos niveis e ausencia de depressao e elevados niveis de auto-eficacia sao preditores significativos do suporte social percebido nos idosos estudados. Futuras intervencoes no âmbito da promocao da saude dos idosos devem atender a estes determinantes