Old age and elderly people: social representations of adolescent students

Freitas, Maria Célia de; Ferreira, Márcia de Assunção

doi:10.1590/S0104-11692013000300014

Original Articles • Rev. Latino-Am. Enfermagem 21 (3) • June 2013 • https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692013000300014 linkcopy

Old age and elderly people: social representations of adolescent students¹

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: to know the main elements of social representations about elderly people and old age among adolescents at a public high school.

METHOD: 172 adolescents between 14 and 19 years of age participated. The free evocation of words technique was applied through the terms elderly and old age.

RESULTS: The main elements of the representations significantly designed for elderly people were: respect and disrespect, 78; experience, 49; care, 32; wisdom, 23; fragility, 19. For old age: disease, 51; retirement, 27; experience, 27; wisdom, 19; wrinkles, 17. The social representations of adolescents are strongly marked by physical, psychological and social aspects, with positive and negative aspects about old age.

CONCLUSION: Participatory health education activities are needed to make adolescents critically reflect on and the condition of elderly people in contemporary society.

Aged; Geriatric Nursing; Psychology, Social; Adolescent

Mean freq.	Elements	Freq.	MRE <2.5	Elements	Freq.	MRE ≥2.5
≥10	Retirement	27	2.33	Grey hair	14	2.85
	Fatigue	13	2	Care	20	2.65
	Disease	51	2	Dependence	14	2.85
	Experience	27	2.25	Forgetting	10	2.6
	Patience	11	2.18	Death	14	2.57
	Wrinkles	17	2.35	Respect	13	3.46
	Wisdom	19	2.15	Long life	13	3.15
	Solitude	15	2.06
	Sadness	11	2.36
<10	Family	6	2.33	Help	7	2.57
	Weak	5	1.8	Attention	7	2.8
	Frailty	7	2	Kindness	9	3.14
	Fear	9	1.44	Boring	7	2.55
	Time	8	2	Rest	6	2.55
				Pain	6	3.16
				Histories	6	2.5
				Weak memory	5	3.5
				Grandchildren	6	3.6
				Past	4	2.83

Mean freq.	Elements	Freq.	MRE <2.5	Elements	Freq.	MRE ≥2.5
≥10	Thoughtful	10	2.3	Help	14	2.64
	Grey hair	11	1.9	Joy	10	2.8
	Tired	11	2.27	Love	18	2.66
	Care	32	2.37	Retirement	25	3.32
	Experiences	49	2.26	Kindness	21	2.95
	Frailty	19	2.31	Illnesses	20	2.5
	Respect	78	2.17	Life history	10	3.4
	Disrespect	78	2.17	Patience	12	2.58
	Wrinkles	10	1.5
	Wisdom	23	1.78
<10	Grandparents	6	2.33	Boring	9	3.11
	Difficulties	6	2.16	Knowledge	5	2.6
	Wrinkled	5	1.8	Advice	5	3.2
	Responsible	7	2.28	Dependence	5	3
	Old	5	1.8	Lack of health	7	3.28
				Preferential	8	2.87
				Priorities	7	3.14
				Problems	6	2.66
				Solidarity	7	2.85
				Time lived	7	2.85

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Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto / Universidade de São Paulo Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, 14040-902 Ribeirão Preto SP Brazil, Tel.: +55 (16) 3315-3387 / 3315-4407 - Ribeirão Preto - SP - Brazil
E-mail: rlae@eerp.usp.br

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Old age and elderly people: social representations of adolescent students1

Abstract

Old age and elderly people: social representations of adolescent students¹