Social Relationships and Health: A Flashpoint for Health Policy

Abstract

Social relationships—both quantity and quality—affect mental health, health behavior, physical health, and mortality risk. Sociologists have played a central role in establishing the link between social relationships and health outcomes, identifying explanations for this link, and discovering social variation (e.g., by gender and race) at the population level. Studies show that social relationships have short- and long-term effects on health, for better and for worse, and that these effects emerge in childhood and cascade throughout life to foster cumulative advantage or disadvantage in health. This article describes key research themes in the study of social relationships and health, and it highlights policy implications suggested by this research.

Death of family members as an overlooked source of racial disadvantage in the United States

“…Death of family members is highly likely to disrupt and strain other family relationships as well as the formation, duration, and quality of relationships across the life course, further contributing to a broad range of adverse life outcomes (22,37). Again, bereavement is a known risk factor for mental and physical health (20), and childhood through early adulthood may be a period of the life course during which bereavement is especially likely to have lasting consequences (14)(15)(16)(17)(18).…”

Assimilation and emerging health disparities among new generations of U.S. children

“…First, immigrants may benefit from tight-knit social networks (Guendelman 1998). Social networks are protective because they provide social support, which can serve to reduce stress and improve self-esteem (Umberson and Montez 2010), and instrumental support, including information and financial resources (Radey and Padilla 2009). For example, studies find that social support is associated with better self-reported health and can moderate the effects of discrimination (Finch and Vega 2003).…”

Development of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation National Survey of Health Attitudes: Description and Top-Line Summary Data

“…Thirty-six percent reported a weak emotional connection, 49 percent a moderate emotional connection, and 15 percent a strong emotional connection. Having high levels of social support has been linked to a variety of improved health and well-being outcomes (Umberson and Montez, 2010). For example, there is a strong link between the level of social support and exercise adherence in older populations (McAuley et al, 2003).…”