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Structural characteristics of social networks and their relationship with social support in the elderly: Who provides support

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  • Seeman, Teresa E.
  • Berkman, Lisa F.

Abstract

The analyses presented here examine relationships between structural characteristics of social networks and two types of support (instrumental and emotional support) in a sample of community- dwelling individuals aged 65 and older. For each type of support, two dimensions are examined (1) the availability of such support and (2) the perceived adequacy of that support. Regression models, adjusting for age, sex, race and income show that structural characteristics such as total network size, number of face-to-face contacts and number of proximal ties are associated with greater availability of both instrumental and emotional support. The perceived adequacy of both types of support is most strongly related to the number of monthly face-to-face contacts. Comparisons of specific types of ties show that neither ones' spouse nor ones' children are primary sources of support. Rather the presence of a confidant is strongly associated with both dimensions of instrumental and emotional support; the presence of a spouse is not. And, while ties with children are most strongly related to aspects of instrumental support, ties with close friends and relatives are more strongly related to aspects of emotional support. Analyses of possible interactions show that for those without a spouse, confidants assume greater importance in providing emotional support. For those without children, ties with close friends and relatives assume a larger role relative to the perceived adequacy of both emotional and instrumental support.

Suggested Citation

  • Seeman, Teresa E. & Berkman, Lisa F., 1988. "Structural characteristics of social networks and their relationship with social support in the elderly: Who provides support," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 26(7), pages 737-749, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:26:y:1988:i:7:p:737-749
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    1. Lakon, Cynthia M. & Ennett, Susan T. & Norton, Edward C., 2006. "Mechanisms through which drug, sex partner, and friendship network characteristics relate to risky needle use among high risk youth and young adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(9), pages 2489-2499, November.
    2. Frauke Meyer-Wyk & Susanne Wurm, 2024. "The role of social network diversity in self-perceptions of aging in later life," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Goldman, Alyssa W., 2016. "All in the family: The link between kin network bridging and cardiovascular risk among older adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 137-149.
    4. Heather Booth & Pilar Rioseco & Heather Crawford, 2014. "What can reverse causation tell us about demographic differences in the social network and social support determinants of self-rated health in later life?," Vienna Yearbook of Population Research, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, vol. 12(1), pages 23-52.
    5. Shor, Eran & Roelfs, David J., 2015. "Social contact frequency and all-cause mortality: A meta-analysis and meta-regression," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 76-86.
    6. Hayo, Bernd & Ono, Hiroyuki, 2010. "Comparing public attitudes toward providing for the livelihood of the elderly in two aging societies: Germany and Japan," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 72-80, January.
    7. Sibai, Abla M. & Yount, Kathryn M. & Fletcher, Astrid, 2007. "Marital status, intergenerational co-residence and cardiovascular and all-cause mortality among middle-aged and older men and women during wartime in Beirut: Gains and liabilities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 64(1), pages 64-76, January.
    8. Berry, Helen Louise & Rodgers, Bryan & Dear, Keith B.G., 2007. "Preliminary development and validation of an Australian community participation questionnaire: Types of participation and associations with distress in a coastal community," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 64(8), pages 1719-1737, April.
    9. Simone Weyers & Nico Dragano & Susanne Möbus & Eva-Maria Beck & Andreas Stang & Stephan Möhlenkamp & Karl Jöckel & Raimund Erbel & Johannes Siegrist, 2010. "Poor social relations and adverse health behaviour: stronger associations in low socioeconomic groups?," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 55(1), pages 17-23, February.
    10. Khaksar, Seyed Mohammad Sadegh & Khosla, Rajiv & Chu, Mei Tai & Shahmehr, Fatemeh S., 2016. "Service Innovation Using Social Robot to Reduce Social Vulnerability among Older People in Residential Care Facilities," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 113(PB), pages 438-453.
    11. Madeleine Mellqvist Fässberg & Kimberly A. van Orden & Paul Duberstein & Annette Erlangsen & Sylvie Lapierre & Ehud Bodner & Silvia Sara Canetto & Diego De Leo & Katalin Szanto & Margda Waern, 2012. "A Systematic Review of Social Factors and Suicidal Behavior in Older Adulthood," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-24, March.
    12. Hong Wu, 2020. "How do Co‐ and Non‐Residential Children Impact your Subjective Life Expectancy: An Empirical Study on CHARLS Data?," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(2), pages 532-544, March.
    13. Michael E. Walker & Stanley Wasserman & Barry Wellman, 1993. "Statistical Models for Social Support Networks," Sociological Methods & Research, , vol. 22(1), pages 71-98, August.
    14. Rosario Fernández-Peña & José Luis Molina & Oliver Valero, 2018. "Personal Network Analysis in the Study of Social Support: The Case of Chronic Pain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-18, November.
    15. Heeju Sohn & Stefan Timmermans & Pamela J Prickett, 2020. "Loneliness in life and in death? Social and demographic patterns of unclaimed deaths," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(9), pages 1-17, September.
    16. Myers, Douglas J. & Kriebel, David & Karasek, Robert & Punnett, Laura & Wegman, David H., 2007. "The social distribution of risk at work: Acute injuries and physical assaults among healthcare workers working in a long-term care facility," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 64(4), pages 794-806, February.
    17. Angelique Chan & Prassanna Raman & Stefan Ma & Rahul Malhotra, 2015. "Loneliness and all-cause mortality in community-dwelling elderly Singaporeans," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 32(49), pages 1361-1382.
    18. Torres, Jacqueline M. & Lee, Anne & González, Hector M. & Garcia, Lorena & Haan, Mary N., 2016. "A longitudinal analysis of cross-border ties and depression for Latino adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 111-119.
    19. Mariska Horst & Hilde Coffé, 2012. "How Friendship Network Characteristics Influence Subjective Well-Being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 107(3), pages 509-529, July.
    20. Veena S. Kulkarni & Vani S. Kulkarni & Raghav Gaiha, 2018. "Aging, disability and disease in India," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series 302018, GDI, The University of Manchester.

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