Social capital and health in the least developed countries: A critical review of the literature and implications for a future research agenda

Abstract

Research on the linkage between social capital and health has grown in recent years; however, there is a dearth of evidence from resource-poor countries. This review examines the association between social capital and physical health (including health behaviours) in the least developed countries (LDCs). Citations were searched using three databases from 1990 to 2011 using the keyword ‘social capital’ combined with the name of each of the 48 LDCs. Of the 14 studies reviewed, 12 took place in Africa and two in South Asia. All used cross-sectional study designs, including five qualitative and nine quantitative studies. The literature reviewed suggests that social capital is an important factor for improving health in resource-poor settings; however, more research is needed in order to determine the best measures for social capital and elucidate the mechanisms through which social capital affects health in the developing world. Future research on social capital and health in the developing world should focus on applying appropriate theoretical conceptualizations of social capital to the developing country context, adapting and validating instruments for measuring social capital, and examining multilevel models of social capital and health in developing countries.

Social Capital and Self-Rated Health in Older Populations in Lower- and Upper-Middle Income Countries

“…Our results indicate that access to bridging social capital might be more important for health in low and middle-income countries compared to higher income countries. Story discusses how bridging social capital might be especially important in lowincome countries, as it may facilitate access to resources and information as well as opportunities to voice claims, thus providing necessary knowledge and resources to practice healthy behaviours (Story 2013). Promoting access to social capital might act as a buffer for the effects of socioeconomic inequality, which are growing significantly in the countries in transition.…”

“…Social capital might be of particular importance for health in LMICs due to the lack of other forms of resources, such as human and financial capital (Story 2013). However, in order to guide policy and interventions in these contexts, there is a need for evidence that builds on studies investigating the links between social capital and health for men and women, particularly among older populations in LMICs.…”

“Who'll do all these if I'm not around?”: Bonding social capital and health and well-being of inpatients

“…The reliance on social connections for health-related assistance is said to be more pronounced among relatively vulnerable persons (Amoah & Jørgensen, 2014; Avogo, 2013; Narayan, 1999; Yip et al, 2007). In Ghana and many other developing countries, not only have fewer studies been carried out about social capital (Amoah, 2017; Story, 2013), but also minimal attention has been paid to the role of the phenomenon in actual healthcare delivery. Moreover, considering that developing nations do have weak and complicated health systems (Barnes, Brown, & Harman, 2015; Smith & Hanson, 2012), social capital can offer precise perspectives and possibly, solutions to some of the recurrent challenges in healthcare delivery (Hollard & Sene, 2016).…”

From Exclusion to Inclusion—a Stepwise Process: a Qualitative Study of How the Reintegration Process Is Experienced by Young People Previously Living on Streets in the Kagera Region, Tanzania

“…Research has shown that there are stronger associations between individual social capital than with collective social capital and positive health outcomes. Regarding individual social capital, the cognitive component has been found to be more important than the structural one (Story 2013). In Tanzania, studies have shown that individual social capital is important for orphans' and vulnerable children's ability to claim their land, resilience and empowerment (Evans 2011(Evans , 2012.…”

“…health promotion, public health and HIV prevention, and a link between social capital and self-rated health has been established (Story 2013;Eriksson 2010). Research has shown that there are stronger associations between individual social capital than with collective social capital and positive health outcomes.…”