What is Vulnerability?” A Qualitative Study about the Perception of Vulnerability in Adults and Older Adults

Abstract

Aligned with a global trend, Brazil has been changing demographic profile in recent decades, making this structural phenomenon one of the most important achievements of contemporary society. This social process is not limited to the combined effects of strictly demographic variables and can both create demographic possibilities that enhance the growth of the economy, increasing social welfare, as stressing the economic and social hardships, expanding the serious social inequalities of Brazilian society. In this sense, it is important to read vulnerability from the perspective of research participants, in order to seek the categorization, bringing support for understanding the components of vulnerability allowing the search for strategies to cope with social vulnerability. This paper aims to assess qualitatively, through semi-structured interview, the individual perception about the vulnerability, categorizing the speech of participants and proposing reflections that may enhance the field of social vulnerability. The study is characterized as qualitative content analysis according to Bardin. Nine categories emerged from the speech. The more inference was on account of the category "Health and Disease", with 25%; then with 20% "Behaviour"; 17% represented the total of inferences about the "Autonomy"; 15% related vulnerability to "Fragility"; 9% on "Family relationships, loneliness"; 4% related to "Violence"; 3% to the category "Hunger" and two categories represented 2% each-"Financial" and "Physical, Age". The personal conception of vulnerability is directly related to disease or illhealth process. The age range, a factor admittedly predisposed to vulnerable, did not have a significant expression in the speech of participants.

Capacidade de tomada de decisão de pacientes submetidos a procedimento médico invasivo

“…Some studies highlight which factors may be associated with the increased fragility of the elderly, such as limited access to public services, low level of education, socioeconomic status, and living in environments of greater vulnerability. (14,15,(18)(19)(20) In the present study, elderly people with low socioeconomic and low educational levels were included, and these factors did not influence the patients' decision-making ability. The issue of access to public services and living in vulnerable environments was not assessed.…”

“…(15) Inpatient hospitalization, coupled with the need to undergo an invasive medical procedure and the changes resulting from aging, can affect the decision-making capacity of the elderly; that is, it effects their maintenance of control over decisions about their own lives. (16,17) On the other hand, the elderly, understood as a vulnerable population, (18,19) have their rights underrepresented, including by their own family members. Decisionmaking is commonly performed by family members, on behalf of the elderly and what is believed to be best for them, without involving them in the decision.…”

Apoyo social, soledad, vulnerabilidad y satisfacción con la vida en personas mayores de México

“…No obstante, Brocklehurst y Laurenson (2008) señalan que la vulnerabilidad es más que el impacto de daño físico, emocional o mental, ya que también es resultado de una construcción social y un contexto histórico, y no puede ser entendida sin analizar las categorías, causas y efectos de esta desde la percepción de las personas mayores (Bajotto et al, 2017), lo cual permitiría buscar estrategias para enfrentarla de acuerdo a las condiciones de cada persona.…”

Editor’s Note: Journal of Clinical Research & Bioethics (Volume 8 Issue 2)

“…The current issue of the Journal of Clinical Research & Bioethics presents some interesting thoughts pertaining to crucial topics such as vulnerability, universal health care, and ethical considerations surrounding CRISPR/ Cas9. Bajotto [1], investigated the Brazilian peoples' perception of vulnerability using a semi-structured interview format. Boudreau [2] authored a review regarding the issues surrounding the concept of universal health care in the USA.…”

“…This dynamicity in the demographics of the Brazilian society can both create possibilities for growth as well as enhance the social inequalities of society. Bajotto [1], investigated the peoples' perception of vulnerability using the format of a semi-structured interview. Nine categories emerged as being strongly correlated to vulnerability: Health and Disease (25%); Behavior (20%); Autonomy (17%); Fragility (15%); Family, relationships, loneliness (9%); Violence (4%); Hunger (3%); Finances (2%); and Physical Age (2%).…”