Social network type and health-related behaviors: Evidence from an American national survey

Shiovitz-Ezra, Sharon; Litwin, Howard

doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.04.031

Cited by 94 publications

(94 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Overall, our findings indicate that among the general population of older English adults, social isolation, but not loneliness, might have consequences for longer term patterns of health-related behaviors. Our findings are consistent with studies that have found relationships between social isolation and physical activity, diet, smoking, and obesity [20,[33][34][35]37,39] but inconsistent with those finding patterns of alcohol abuse and abstinence to be associated with isolation [36,40]. Our results are also consistent with other findings using the ELSA data, which found that social isolation (defined according to marital status, rather than living alone) was prospectively associated with declines in physical mobility and cognitive function, and risk of all-cause mortality [9,15,61].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 69%

“…Among older adults, social isolation has been associated with having a poor diet [33,34], being physically inactive [20,[34][35][36], problematic consumption of alcohol [34,36,37], and smoking [34,37]. In the Framingham Heart Study, obesity and heavy alcohol consumption have been shown to spread through family and friend networks over time, but so have positive behaviors related to substance use including smoking cessation and alcohol abstinence [38][39][40].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Greater social connectedness has also been associated with being physically active [37]. The empirical evidence for loneliness and health-related behaviors is more equivocal than for social isolation, although loneliness has been associated with physical inactivity, problematic alcohol consumption, overweight/ obesity, and smoking [4,20,36,[41][42][43][44].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Health Behaviors at Older Ages: Longitudinal Cohort Study

Kobayashi

Steptoe

2018

Annals of Behavioral Medicine

246

179

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Background The prospective associations between social isolation, loneliness, and health behaviors are uncertain, despite the potential importance of these relationships over time for outcomes including mortality. Purpose To examine the associations between baseline social isolation, baseline loneliness, and engagement in health behaviors over 10 years among older adults. Methods Data were from 3,392 men and women aged ≥52 years in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing from 2004/2005 to 2014/2015. Modified Poisson regression was specified to estimate relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals for the associations between baseline social isolation, baseline loneliness, and consistent weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, consistent five daily fruit and vegetable servings, daily alcohol drinking at any time point, smoking at any time point, and a consistently overweight/obese body mass index over the follow-up (all yes vs. no). Models were population weighted and adjusted for sociodemographic factors, health indicators, and depressive symptoms, with mutual adjustment for social isolation and loneliness. Results Socially isolated participants were less likely than non-isolated participants to consistently report weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (RR = 0.86; 0.77-0.97) or five daily fruit and vegetable servings (RR = 0.81; 0.63-1.04). They were less likely to be consistently overweight or obese (RR = 0.86; 0.77-0.97) and more likely to smoke at any time point (RR = 1.46; 1.17-1.82). Loneliness was not associated with health behaviors or body mass index in adjusted models. Among smokers, loneliness was negatively associated with successful smoking cessation over the follow-up (RR = 0.31; 0.11-0.90). Conclusions Social isolation was associated with a range of health-related behaviors, and loneliness was associated with smoking cessation over a 10 year follow-up in older English adults.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 69%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Health Behaviors at Older Ages: Longitudinal Cohort Study

Kobayashi

Steptoe

2018

Annals of Behavioral Medicine

246

179

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“…92 There was well-established evidence that the characteristics of an individual's personal social network can impact on health behaviours and outcomes, through various mechanisms that may include social influence, sense of control and perceived support. 93 The influence of social network contacts such as family and friends can directly impact health-related behaviours such as use of health services, 94 while network typologies had been developed to show that resourceful networks are linked to lower alcohol abuse and higher physical activity. 95 We also noted that the quality of social relationships rather than the number of ties may provide a better indicator of well-being; not all social ties are positive and supportive.…”

Section: The Recovery Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving community health networks for people with severe mental illness: a case study investigation

Pinfold

Sweet

Porter³

et al. 2015

Health Services and Delivery Research

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IntroductionPolicy drivers in mental health to address personal recovery, stigma and poor physical health indicate that new service solutions are required. This study aimed to understand how connections to people, places and activities were utilised by individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) to benefit health and wellbeing.MethodsA five-module mixed-methods design was undertaken in two study sites. Data were collected from 150 network-mapping interviews and 41 in-depth follow-up interviews with people with SMI; in-depth interviews with 30 organisation stakeholders and 12 organisation leaders; and 44 telephone interviews with practitioners. We undertook a three-stage synthesis process including independent lived experience feedback, and a patient and public involvement team participated in tool design, data collection, analysis and write-up.ResultsThree personal network types were found in our study using the community health network approach: diverse and active; family and stable; formal and sparse. Controlled for other factors we found only four variables significantly associated with which network type a participant had: living alone or not; housing status; formal education; long-term sickness or disability. Diagnosis was not a factor. These variables are challenging to address but they do point to potential for network change. The qualitative interviews with people with SMI provided further understanding of connection-building and resource utilisation. We explored individual agency across each network type, and identified recognition of the importance and value of social support and active connection management alongside the risks of isolation, even for those most affected by mental illness. We identified tensions in personal networks, be that relationships with practitioners or families, dealing with the impact of stigma, or frustrations of not being in employment, which all impact on network resources and well-being. The value of connectedness within personal networks of people, place and activity for supporting recovery was evident in shaping identity, providing meaning to life and sense of belonging, gaining access to new resources, structuring routines and helping individuals ‘move on’ in their recovery journey.Health-care practitioners recognised that social factors were important in recovery but reported system-level barriers (workload, administrative bureaucracy, limited contact time with clients) in addressing these issues fully. Even practitioners working in third-sector services whose remit involved increasing clients’ social connection faced restrictions due to being evaluated by outcome criteria that limited holistic recovery-focused practices. Service providers were keen to promote recovery-focused approaches. We found contrasts between recovery ideology within mental health policy and recovery practice on the ground. In particular, the social aspects of supporting people with SMI are often underprioritised in the health-care system. In a demanding and changing context, strategic multiagency working was seen as crucial but we found few examples of embedded multisector organisation partnerships.ConclusionWhile our exploratory study has limitations, findings suggest potential for people with SMI to be supported to become more active managers of their personal networks to support well-being regardless of current network type. The health and social care system does not currently deliver multiagency integrated solutions to support SMI and social recovery.FundingThe National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research programme.

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“…Scholars who have examined qualitative aspects of older adults' convoys have identified network types based on relationship quality patterns, including: high quality network, high family/friend quality, high spouse/family quality, low spouse/family quality, and low network quality (Antonucci, Ajrouch, & Birditt, 2014;Birditt & Antonucci, 2007). Quality has been measured in a variety of ways, including the examination of support, companionship, and affection as positive relationship qualities, and demandingness, criticalness, conflict, and loneliness as negative (Antonucci et al, 2014;Birditt & Antonucci, 2007;Shiovitz-Ezra & Litwin, 2012).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Older Gay Men and Their Support Convoys

Tester

Wright

2016

GERONB

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Objective: We used the convoy model and the network type construct to identify the relationship quality profiles found among older gay men and to examine how they define a satisfactory network. Method: We used a network mapping strategy and in-depth qualitative interviews with 20 participants in Atlanta. During the interviews, all network members were discussed, regardless of relationship or map position. Results: For participants, having people in their lives with whom they could fully be "out" as gay men (authenticity) was at the root of a quality network. This allowed them to develop emotional closeness (intimacy), which, in part, provided a foundation of social support. Participants' discussion of network quality, which reflected authenticity, intimacy, and social support, revealed high, moderate, and low quality network types. Discussion: Our findings diversify knowledge of the network type construct, provide a deeper understanding of its qualitative features, and give voice to this often-invisible group, situating meaning within their social-historical context. The findings suggest that the meaning of a quality network is contextual and culturally specific, varying across groups of older adults.

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Social network type and health-related behaviors: Evidence from an American national survey

Cited by 94 publications

References 37 publications

Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Health Behaviors at Older Ages: Longitudinal Cohort Study

Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Health Behaviors at Older Ages: Longitudinal Cohort Study

Improving community health networks for people with severe mental illness: a case study investigation

Older Gay Men and Their Support Convoys

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