The relation between the size and structure of support networks and the amount of time dedicated by individuals to care of the elderly in São Paulo City

Abstract

This paper investigates how the size and structure of the elderly’s social networks influence the attention given him by its members. Two indices and a regression model were designed, using data from the 2000 Pesquisa Saúde, Bem-Estar e Envelhecimento na América Latina e Caribe – (Sabe) for São Paulo city to evaluate the impact of the network on care and attention. The support network demands time and communication, not only from household members, but also from other non-household or family components in the elderly’s social support network. Logistic regression models were used to study the associations between the attention to the elderly provided by each individual in his social network and the structure and size of the family.
Results indicate that the attention devoted to the elderly is related not only to the size and characteristics of their social networks, but also to the characteristics of the network’s members and of the families of these individuals. For instance, in larger networks, each individual devotes less attention to the elderly. When the elderly have more daughters, most of the care is provided by them, while other family members give them less attention. The elderly who were married only once tend to receive higher levels of attention.

DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.20947/S0102-309820160005