Family Characterization of a Population of the Municipality of Puerto Colombia, Atlántico/Colombia

INTRODUCTION: The family as a fundamental structure of society is exposed to different economic, social and health problems. Families in conditions of vulnerability become an element of protection but also of dominance and power; because they are born without being aware of their status or they even normalize their condition of extreme poverty, not to mention the exposure to natural hazards of their geographical area due to being in close proximity to the sea, which leads to people being grouped, creating problems of violence due to overcrowding, lack of formal employment, as well as lack of access to education or basic sanitation services. These groups are considered as social groups with limited resources.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the family structure of the household head members and their main practices of managing with vulnerability states on topics as health, economic and educational in the inhabitants of the Vista Mar neighborhood in the Municipality of Puerto Colombia / Atlántico.

METHODOLOGY: Descriptive cross-sectional study with a sample of 135 inhabitants grouped into 27 families. An observation form and a survey were applied to the person of family care or economic maintenance.

RESULTS: The level of education of the head of household has very low academic training with ages ranging from 20 to 60 years with informal occupations in 39.37%.

CONCLUSIONS: The woman is responsible for the care of the members of the family and the man financially supports the home. The families are formed by adults and young people with training at the primary, secondary and technical levels.