Mechanisms Linking Social Ties and Support to Physical and Mental Health

Thoits, Peggy A.

doi:10.1177/0022146510395592

Cited by 2,971 publications

(3,070 citation statements)

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“…Social support can have a powerful impact on both unhealthy and healthy behaviors [11]. The information technology revolution of the past two decades has changed the way we interact which presents increasing opportunities and means to exchange social support.…”

Section: How Can Online Social Network Be Leveraged To Positively Immentioning

confidence: 99%

How behavioral science can advance digital health

Pagoto

Bennett

2013

Behav. Med. Pract. Policy Res.

138

102

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The field of behavioral science has produced myriad data on health behavior change strategies and leveraged such data into effective human-delivered interventions to improve health. Unfortunately, the impact of traditional health behavior change interventions has been heavily constrained by patient and provider burden, limited ability to measure and intervene upon behavior in real time, variable adherence, low rates of implementation, and poor third-party coverage. Digital health technologies, including mobile phones, sensors, and online social networks, by being available in real time, are being explored as tools to increase our understanding of health behavior and to enhance the impact of behavioral interventions. The recent explosion of industry attention to the development of novel health technologies is exciting but has far outpaced research. This Special Section of Translational Behavioral Medicine, Smartphones, Sensors, and Social Networks: A New Age of Health Behavior Change features a collection of studies that leverage health technologies to measure, change, and/or understand health behavior. We propose five key areas in which behavioral science can improve the impact of digital health technologies on public health. First, research is needed to identify which health technologies actually impact behavior and health outcomes. Second, we need to understand how online social networks can be leveraged to impact health behavior on a large scale. Third, a team science approach is needed in the developmental process of health technologies. Fourth, behavioral scientists should identify how a balance can be struck between the fast pace of innovation and the much slower pace of research. Fifth, behavioral scientists have an integral role in informing the development of health technologies and facilitating the movement of health technologies into the healthcare system. KEYWORDS Digital health, mHealth, Social networksThe efficacy of traditional health behavior change interventions has long been constrained by expense, patient burden, and variable adherence. Current models of health care which limit our access to patients to face-to-face visits reduce our ability to gain an accurate understanding of the antecedents and consequences of behavior and to intervene in moments when patients most need help. Digital health technologies, including mobile phones, sensors, and online social networks, by being available in real time, are being explored as ways to enhance our ability to understand health behavior and intervene upon it more effectively. mHealth, a segment of the digital health market that leverages mobile technologies to solve health problems, has reached its tipping point. A rapidly growing body of evidence demonstrates the efficacy of mHealth approaches across a wide range of conditions, populations, and settings. mHealth has also attracted a explosion of industry attention. An extremely diverse group of companies are capitalizing on the mHealth market, which is projected to reach over $23 billion in r...

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Section: How Can Online Social Network Be Leveraged To Positively Immentioning

confidence: 99%

How behavioral science can advance digital health

Pagoto

Bennett

2013

Behav. Med. Pract. Policy Res.

138

102

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show abstract

“…Patients' ability to receive emotional support is good for their health [14], active and informed patients may have better outcomes [15], and new research results may translate into practice (though that is often easier said than done) [16]. Unfortunately, the US does not yet have a perfect mechanism for reducing or eliminating the risk of sharing such information online.…”

Section: Drawbacks Of Participationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Benefits of Online Health Communities

Solberg

2014

Virtual Mentor

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“…Second, compared with those who have little schooling, the better educated have more resources to build supportive and equitable relationships Ross & Mirowsky, 1999;Ross & Van Willigen, 1997) and have a greater sense of personal control (the socialization function of education) (Ross & Mirowsky, 1999;Ross & Wu, 1996). These are well-known stress buffers (Ross & Mirowsky, 2013;Thoits, 2011). Third, well-educated people are more likely to adopt healthy behaviors, such as exercising, not smoking, drinking in moderation, and maintaining a healthy body weight (Montez & Zajacova, 2013;Reynolds & Ross, 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%