title: Social network of family caregivers of disabled and dependent patients.
abstract: Cross-sectional study that used the Social Network Index and the genogram to assess the social network of 110 family caregivers of dependent patients attended by a Home Care Service in São Paulo, Brazil. Data were analyzed using the test U of Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis and Spearman correlation. Results were considered statistically significant when p<0,05. Few caregivers participated in activities outside the home and the average number of people they had a bond was 4,4 relatives and 3,6 friends. Caregivers who reported pain and those who had a partner had higher average number of relatives who to trust. The average number of friends was higher in the group that reported use of medication for depression. Total and per capita incomes correlated with the social network. It was found that family members are the primary caregiver's social network.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cintia Hitomi
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jaqueline Correia
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Gaspar
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Amendola
authors.affiliation: Nursing course, Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Dourados, MS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Márcia Regina Martins
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Alvarenga
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Department of Nursing in Collective Health Care, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Amélia de Campos
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Oliveira