Association between social capital, health-related quality of life, and mental health: a structural-equation modeling approach

Abstract

AimTo explore the association(s) between demographic factors, socioeconomic status (SES), social capital, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and mental health among residents of Tehran, Iran.MethodsThe pooled data (n = 31 519) were extracted from a population-based survey Urban Health Equity Assessment and Response Tool-2 (Urban HEART-2) conducted in Tehran in 2011. Mental health, social capital, and HRQoL were assessed using the 28-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), social capital questionnaire, and Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12), respectively. The study used a multistage sampling method. Social capital, HRQoL, and SES were considered as latent variables. The association between these latent variables, demographic factors, and mental health was determined by structural-equation modeling (SEM).ResultsThe mean age and mental health score were 44.48 ± 15.87 years and 23.33 ± 11.10 (range, 0-84), respectively. The prevalence of mental disorders was 41.76% (95% confidence interval 41.21-42.30). The SEM model showed that age was directly associated with social capital (P = 0.016) and mental health (P = 0.001). Sex was indirectly related to mental health through social capital (P = 0.018). SES, HRQoL, and social capital were associated both directly and indirectly with mental health status.ConclusionThis study suggests that changes in social capital and SES can lead to positive changes in mental health status and that individual and contextual determinants influence HRQoL and mental health.

Health-Related Quality of Life and Socioeconomic Status: Inequalities among Adults in West of Iran

“…There is a great body of evidence showing SES as one of the main determinants of HRQoL (7,16); in that individuals and communities lower down the SES ladder experience more health complications and lower quality of life with increased exposure to more health-related risk factors (13,17). Even in more sustainable nations, lower SES predicts more negative or less favorable health outcomes in terms of a social gradient (18).…”

“…SES is a combined measure of an individual or family's economic and social position relative to others, based on 3 main predictors of educational level, income, and occupation. It is commonly conceptualized as an individual or group's relative social standing or class on a hierarchy, based on various dimensions of sociology and economics (7,13). There is a list of key attributes of socio-economic status that contribute to the socio-economic differences between individuals and communities (13,14).…”

“…It is a subjective, multi-dimensional element in peoples' lives, and is affected by their physical health, emotional and social relationships, economic status, surrounding environment, and life satisfaction. Previous research has identified the physical, psychological, and social factors as the key predictors of change in quality of life (6,7).…”

“…In clinical and epidemiological studies, researchers have found it important to track HRQoL as it has implications for both policy and practice (7,8). Measuring HRQOL not only helps healthcare providers and policy-makers determine the burden of preventable diseases, injuries, and disabilities but will also help them monitor the progress in achieving public health goals.…”

Quality of life and common psychological problems profile in a large sample of manufacturing employees in a developing country: an association analysis using latent class regression

“…Flow diagram presenting the selected study samples. and some specific population [10,[27][28][29][30][31][32]. Previous studies using simple statistical methods have focused on investigating the association of each psychological problem with QoL scores, separately.…”