Genograms: evaluating family structure among elderly people registered in a public, family-healthcare agency

Abstract

 For elderly people in Brazil, access to public healthcare services begins in family healthcare agencies. As such, an evaluation of family composition could enable better planning of care for the elderly. The genogram permits such an evaluation, involving the construction of a family tree diagram along with information about each person’s medical history and the quality of family relationships. The objective of this study was to evaluate the family composition of elderly people registered in family-healthcare agencies (USFs) in a city in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Based on the principles of quantitative research methods, individual in-home interviews were conducted, preparing genograms for 49 respondents (August, 2006 - May, 2007). All ethical guidelines were respected. The majority of the elderly lived in multigenerational contexts; the greater part lived with their spouse and one adult-child. Average household size was four people. The elderly had 5.85 children, on average. High blood pressure was their most common healthcare complaint. The majority reported average-quality relationships with other family members. As such, the genogram was an effective instrument for evaluating family structure among elderly people registered in USFs, and could be used as a mechanism to improve the planning of services for this population.

Key words: Aged; Family characteristics; Family nursing; Family health program.