title: Social support and families of children with cancer: an integrative review.
abstract: This study aimed to search available evidences in literature about social support to families of children with cancer. An integrative review was elaborated and the articles were searched in PUBMED, WEB of SCIENCE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and LILACS, using the key words: social support, cancer, child and family, between 1996 and 2006. Fifteen articles were selected and the analysis of these publications allowed for the identification of three themes: social support and the trajectory of cancer, social support to healthy siblings and social support to fathers and mothers of children with cancer. Data indicated a lack of consensus among researchers about the use of the term social support and that there is a need for greater methodological rigor in the conduction of these studies. Acknowledging the clients' support needs is important to plan nursing care and guide research development, whose results can be used in practice.
authors.affiliation: Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing, University of São Paulo, Brazil. iara_eerp@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Iara Cristina da Silva
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Pedro
authors.forename: Cristina Maria
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Galvão
authors.forename: Semiramis Melani Melo
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Lucila Castanheira
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Nascimento
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D005192:Family Health; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms; D010371:Pediatric Nursing; D011634:Public Health; D012944:Social Support