Narrative review on the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the socialsupport networks of elderly people
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2238-6149.v36e233607Keywords:
Social support networks, Social isolation, Older adults, COVID-19 pandemicAbstract
The COVID-19 pandemic affected the social interactions of the elderly. The study aimed to analyze the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the social support networks of elderly people. It is a narrative review based on scientific articles published between 2020 and 2022, selected from the Web of Science database. The descriptors used were: “social relationships,” “social networks,” “social ties,” “social support networks,” and “support networks,” combined with “aged,” “elderly,” and “COVID-19 Pandemic.” The results were subjected to thematic content analysis. The final sample consisted of 23 articles. The content analysis of the results identified the following thematic categories: Social support networks pre-pandemic and their impact during the pandemic period; Factors directly related to elderly people that influenced the behaviors of social support networks during the pandemic; Repercussions of the pandemic on the social support networks of elderly people. The results indicate that digital inclusion and the strengthening of community networks were crucial strategies to minimize the negative effects of the pandemic.
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