Racial-ethnic differences in social networks and perceived support: Measurement considerations and implications for disparities research.

Flores, Melissa; Ruiz, John; Goans, Christian; Butler, Emily A.; Uchino, Bert N.; Hirai, Michiyo; Tinajero, Ruben; Smith, Timothy W.

doi:10.1037/cdp0000283

Cited by 18 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 60 publications

(91 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Black people report fewer friends than Whites, but do not differ in feeling adequately supported ( 338 ). Findings on racial differences in family support vary ( 338 , 339 ). It is plausible in theory that social support could contribute to the Black-White disparity in PTB.…”

Section: Findings From the Review Including Comments On The Plausibil...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Explaining the Black-White Disparity in Preterm Birth: A Consensus Statement From a Multi-Disciplinary Scientific Work Group Convened by the March of Dimes

Braveman

Dominguez

Burke

et al. 2021

Front. Reprod. Health

105

130

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In 2017–2019, the March of Dimes convened a workgroup with biomedical, clinical, and epidemiologic expertise to review knowledge of the causes of the persistent Black-White disparity in preterm birth (PTB). Multiple databases were searched to identify hypothesized causes examined in peer-reviewed literature, 33 hypothesized causes were reviewed for whether they plausibly affect PTB and either occur more/less frequently and/or have a larger/smaller effect size among Black women vs. White women. While definitive proof is lacking for most potential causes, most are biologically plausible. No single downstream or midstream factor explains the disparity or its social patterning, however, many likely play limited roles, e.g., while genetic factors likely contribute to PTB, they explain at most a small fraction of the disparity. Research links most hypothesized midstream causes, including socioeconomic factors and stress, with the disparity through their influence on the hypothesized downstream factors. Socioeconomic factors alone cannot explain the disparity's social patterning. Chronic stress could affect PTB through neuroendocrine and immune mechanisms leading to inflammation and immune dysfunction, stress could alter a woman's microbiota, immune response to infection, chronic disease risks, and behaviors, and trigger epigenetic changes influencing PTB risk. As an upstream factor, racism in multiple forms has repeatedly been linked with the plausible midstream/downstream factors, including socioeconomic disadvantage, stress, and toxic exposures. Racism is the only factor identified that directly or indirectly could explain the racial disparities in the plausible midstream/downstream causes and the observed social patterning. Historical and contemporary systemic racism can explain the racial disparities in socioeconomic opportunities that differentially expose African Americans to lifelong financial stress and associated health-harming conditions. Segregation places Black women in stressful surroundings and exposes them to environmental hazards. Race-based discriminatory treatment is a pervasive stressor for Black women of all socioeconomic levels, considering both incidents and the constant vigilance needed to prepare oneself for potential incidents. Racism is a highly plausible, major upstream contributor to the Black-White disparity in PTB through multiple pathways and biological mechanisms. While much is unknown, existing knowledge and core values (equity, justice) support addressing racism in efforts to eliminate the racial disparity in PTB.

show abstract

Section: Findings From the Review Including Comments On The Plausibil...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Explaining the Black-White Disparity in Preterm Birth: A Consensus Statement From a Multi-Disciplinary Scientific Work Group Convened by the March of Dimes

Braveman

Dominguez

Burke

et al. 2021

Front. Reprod. Health

105

130

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These findings are not unique to this sample as studies have consistently found that African Americans have a lower socioeconomic status, 33 are less likely to get married and more likely to get divorced, 34 and report smaller social networks and lower perceived social support. 35 Although these factors did not impact the within group differences (cCBT vs UC) in outcomes observed in our primary analyses, all of these sociodemographic factors have been found to play a role in physical and mental health. 33,36 Thus, future programs to address health disparities likely need to consider that impact of social determinants of poor health and not simply implementing treatments that focus on the readily addressable, surface-level, mental health concerns.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

Racial Differences in the Effectiveness of Internet-Delivered Mental Health Care

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BACKGROUND: Computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (cCBT) can improve mental health outcomes in White populations; however, it is unknown whether racial and ethnic minority populations receive clinical benefits from cCBT. OBJECTIVE: To study race differences in the impact of cCBT use on mental health outcomes among White and African American primary care patients. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of a three-arm randomized controlled clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS: Primary care physicians (PCPs) referred 2,884 patients aged 18-75; 954 met eligibility criteria (including elevated mood and/or anxiety symptoms indicated as a score ≥ 10 on Patient Health Questionnaire or Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale); 704 were randomized in 3:3:1 ratio to receive either (1) the cCBT program (cCBT-only), (2) cCBT plus access to an Internet Support Group (cCBT+ISG), or (3) their PCP's usual care (UC). After exclusions, this study analyzed 689 patients: 590 receiving cCBT, in the combined cCBT-only and cCBT+ISG groups (91 African American, 499 White), and 99 receiving UC (22 African American, 77 White). INTERVENTION(S): We used the Beating the Blues cCBT program that consisted of eight 50-min Internet-delivered interactive sessions and "homework" assignments to complete between weekly sessions. College graduatelevel care coaches provided six months of remote support. MAIN MEASURE(S): After prior analyses demonstrated no effect of the ISG program, we combined the cCBT-only and cCBT+ISG groups (cCBT) to compare to UC at 6-month follow-up. Controlling for sociodemographic factors, baseline symptoms, and treatment arm, we examined race differences for impact of cCBT versus UC on the mental health-related quality-of-life (Short-form 12 Health Survey), and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) anxiety, and depression. RESULTS: Compared to UC, cCBT had no effect on quality of life (d = 0.10; p = 0.40), depression (d = − 0.19; p = 0.10), or anxiety (d = − 0.16; p = 0.18) for Whites. However, for African American patients, cCBT was associated with significant 6-month decrease in depression (d = − 0.47, p < 0.01) and anxiety scores (d = − 0.54, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: cCBT may be an efficient and scalable first step to eliminating disparities in mental health care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01482806. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/ show/NCT01482806?term=rollman&rank=4

show abstract

“…This is a concern. Flores et al (2020), for example, examined the social networks and social support structures of diverse samples. Whereas non-Hispanic White and Hispanic respondents had similar networks and support structures, non-Hispanic Blacks tended to have poorer supports.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Daily drinking and social network interactions in network support treatment.

Litt¹,

Tennen²,

Kadden³

et al. 2023

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objective: Social networks can be powerful determinants of drinking. Network Support (NS) treatment was designed to help persons with alcohol use disorder alter their social network to be more supportive of abstinence and less supportive of drinking. The present study was intended to determine how NS treatment altered behavior on a daily basis. It was expected that, relative to those treated in a packaged cognitivebehavioral treatment (PCBT), NS patients would report fewer daily contacts with drinking persons and increased contacts with nondrinking persons. Method: Patients (N = 193) treated in our second NS trial provided daily recordings of drinks consumed, urge to drink, and self-efficacy for not drinking, as well as reports of associations with drinking and nondrinking friends, via an interactive voice response system. Daily recordings (N = 146) were collected during the first 6 months of the 27-month study. Multilevel modeling was used to analyze daily network variables over time by treatment. Time-varying effect model (TVEM) analyses were also conducted to assess the influence of daily-varying social contacts on daily drinking, drinking urges, and self-efficacy. Results: Consistent with hypotheses, NS patients reported significantly less daily drinking associated with contacts with drinkers than did PCBT patients. Patients in both treatments reported increases in self-efficacy and decreases in urges to drink over days as a function of contact with nondrinkers. Conclusions: NS treatment was successful in helping patients change their social networks, as well as their responses to social influences, and those changes had effects on day-to-day drinking levels. Public Health Significance StatementThis study indicates that social network associations may play a significant role in determining alcohol treatment outcomes. Attention to social network influences should be incorporated in all treatment for alcohol use disorder.

show abstract

Racial-ethnic differences in social networks and perceived support: Measurement considerations and implications for disparities research.

Abstract: Background & Method Statistical Analyses & Results Conclusions Structural Support Social Network Index (SNI) • Number of people in one's network: NHBs reported significantly less people in their networks than NHWs: b=-1.69*, t(2690) =-2.89, p = .004.

Cited by 18 publications

References 60 publications

Explaining the Black-White Disparity in Preterm Birth: A Consensus Statement From a Multi-Disciplinary Scientific Work Group Convened by the March of Dimes

Explaining the Black-White Disparity in Preterm Birth: A Consensus Statement From a Multi-Disciplinary Scientific Work Group Convened by the March of Dimes

Racial Differences in the Effectiveness of Internet-Delivered Mental Health Care

Daily drinking and social network interactions in network support treatment.

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About