SOCIAL NETWORK SUPPORT PRACTICES FOR PEOPLE WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT: INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

Objective: to analyze practices that support the social network in the daily lives of people with visual impairments. Method: integrative review. The searches were performed in the databases BDENF, CINAHL, CUIDEN, Medline/PubMed, Scopus, LILACS, Web of Science, SciELO and Cochrane virtual libraries. Data were collected in May 2018. Results: the search resulted in 2,879 studies. Ten articles were selected, published between 2004 and 2016, with a predominance of the family and rehabilitation services as main supporters. Instrumental support was identified in nine articles and the prominent supporting practices were the availability for listening, dialogue and social company. Conclusion: the supportive practices offered by the dynamics of the social network constitute a driving strategy in the quality of life of people with visual impairment, and the family is the institution that most supports and is present throughout the web of relationships and social construction.