Profile of family companions: contributions to nursing educational actions

Abstract

This is a descriptive research with a quantitative approach that aims to recognize the socio-economic profile of relatives who follow hospitalized adults with chronic handicapping diseases in a southern Brazilian public hospital. Data were collected through a form with closed questions given to 23 family companions from January to February 2006. Results show that family companions are predominantly wives, mothers and married daughters, in working age, with low educational level, and with a family income between one and three minimum salaries. The identification of the socio-economic profile of the accompanying relative contributes to the implementation of nursing health educational strategies such as measures for family support that help relatives to find ways of coping with the disease and its limitations.