Open AccessFactors associated with perceived social support in older people with cancer
Author(s) -
Tábatta Renata Pereira de Brito,
Giovana de Souza Gomes Penido,
Jéssica Goretti da Silva,
Silvana Maria Coêlho Leite Fava,
Murilo César do Nascimento
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
geriatrics, gerontology and aging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2447-2123
pISSN - 2447-2115
DOI - 10.5327/z2447-212320212000104
Subject(s) - social support , polypharmacy , marital status , psychology , gerontology , activities of daily living , scale (ratio) , clinical psychology , medicine , psychiatry , environmental health , population , social psychology , physics , quantum mechanics
OBJECTIVE: To analyze factors associated with perceived social support in older people with cancer. METHODOLOGY: This is a cross-sectional, analytical study conducted with a convenience sample of 134 older people seen at a specialist cancer treatment unit in a hospital located in a municipal district in the South of Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Data collection was conducted by interview and analysis of medical records. Social support was analyzed using the Medical Outcomes Study social support scale. The Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to analyze differences between means. Linear regression was used for analysis of associations. RESULTS: The majority of the sample of older people with cancer analyzed were male, aged from 60 to 74 years, and reported high mean scores for material support; affective support; positive social interaction; and emotional/informational support. Factors with positive associations with social support were: not living alone; income one to three times the minimum wage; having a partner; rating health as good/very good; and presence of comorbidity. Factors with negative associations were: poor/very poor perceived income and polypharmacy use. CONCLUSIONS: This sample of older people reported high mean scores for material support; affective support; positive social interaction; and emotional/informational support. Factors associated with perceived social support were: living arrangements; family income; perceived sufficiency of income; marital status; health self-assessment; comorbidity; and polypharmacy.