Health care social support to blind adolescents and their families

Abstract

Social support refers to the structure, quality and function of social networks to which an individual belongs. It is considered a very important source of coping with stress. The forms of social support are emotional, informational and instrumental, and each of these forms of support can be provided in a formal and an informal way. Since families with blind adolescents are more exposed to stress and are more often in need of formal social support from the health care system, the question is whether there are differences in perception of the level and content of this type of support between families with blind adolescents and families with typically developing adolescents. The sample consisted of 32 families in an experimental and 32 families in a control group. Data on the content and level of health care social support were obtained from fathers, mothers and adolescents by means of non-directive interviews and the assessment scale. The results showed that both groups of families are not satisfied with perceived health care social support, and that families with blind adolescents are significantly less satisfied. Content analysis of the health care support system shows numerous similarities in perception between the experimental and control groups. However, families with blind adolescents may have some additional expectations, especially in terms of informational and emotional support of health establishment.

Društvena podrška se odnosi na strukturu, kvalitet i funkciju socijalne mreže kojoj pojedinac pripada. Smatra se izuzetno značajnim izvorom za prevladavanje stresa. Oblici društvene podrške su emocionalna, informaciona i konkretna, a svaki od ovih vidova podrške može biti pružen neformalnim i formalnim putem. Budući da su porodice sa slepim adolescentom više izložene stresu i da su češće upućene na traženje formalne društvene podrške od sistema zdravstvene zaštite, nameće se pitanje da li postoje razlike u opažanju nivoa i sadržaja ovog vida podrške između porodica sa slepim adolescentom i porodica sa adolescentom tipičnog razvoja. Uzorak su činile po 32 porodice. Podaci o sadržaju i nivou društvene podrške zdravstva dobijeni su od očeva, majki i adolescenata putem nedirektivno vođenog intervjua i skale procene. Rezultati istraživanja su pokazali da su obe grupe porodica nezadovoljne, kao i da su porodice sa slepim adolescentom znatno nezadovoljnije i da im je potrebna 'posebna' podrška. Analiza sadržaja podrške sistema zdravstvene zaštite ukazuje na brojne sličnosti u opažanju između eksperimentalne i kontrolne grupe, s tim što porodice sa slepim adolescentom imaju i neka dodatna očekivanja, naročito u pogledu informacione i emocionalne podrške zdravstvenih ustanova.