scholarly journals What a lifespan approach might tell us about why distinct measures of social support have differential links to physical health

2009 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bert N. Uchino

Social support has been reliably related to physical health outcomes. However, an examination of mediators of such links has been slowed by the lack of understanding regarding two complex and related questions: what is social support and what phase of the disease process does it impact? In this paper, I argue for the importance of a lifespan perspective that takes into account distinct antecedent processes and mechanisms that are related to measures of support over time. This view makes clear the need to distinguish measures of perceived and received support and its links to more specific aspects of disease (e.g., acute, chronic, disease incidence). The implications of these theoretical arguments for research on social support and physical health are discussed.

2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 236-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bert N. Uchino

Social support has been reliably related to physical health outcomes. However, the conceptual basis of such links needs greater development. In this article, I argue for a life-span perspective on social support and health that takes into account distinct antecedent processes and mechanisms that are related to measures of support over time. Such a view highlights the need to distinguish measures of perceived and received support and its links to more specific diseases (e.g., chronic, acute) and stages of disease development (e.g., incidence). I discuss both the novel implications of these theoretical arguments for research on social support and physical health, as well as the potential intervention approaches that are apparent from this perspective.


2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 20140009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael R. Irwin

Sleep quality is important to health, and increasingly viewed as critical in promoting successful, resilient aging. In this review, the interplay between sleep and mental and physical health is considered with a focus on the role of inflammation as a biological pathway that translates the effects of sleep on risk of depression, pain and chronic disease risk in aging. Given that sleep regulates inflammatory biologic mechanisms with effects on mental and physical health outcomes, the potential of interventions that target sleep to reduce inflammation and promote health in aging is also discussed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-104
Author(s):  
Renee E. Walker ◽  
Fatou NDao ◽  
Rhonda BeLue

Using a previously validated instrument, surveys were conducted by researchers in a Senegalese village to elicit data on childhood food insecurity and health outcomes. Fifty-four participants were interviewed and completed the Community Childhood Hunger Identification Project (CCHIP) survey. More than half of the adults experienced hypertension or diabetes and also reported childhood food insecurity. The role of food coping strategies and social support were identified as factors that minimized the burden of food insecurity. Further testing with instruments that include analysis of cyclic food access patterns is warranted to best determine how to combat both food insecurity and noncommunicable chronic disease incidence in Senegalese families.


2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin L. Toblin ◽  
Brian Kok ◽  
Lyndon A. Riviere ◽  
Charles W. Hoge

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 890-891
Author(s):  
Yingzhi Xu ◽  
Zahra Rahmaty ◽  
Eleanor McConnell ◽  
Tingzhong (Michelle) Xue ◽  
Bada Kang ◽  
...  

Abstract Multimorbidity resilience may mitigate the adverse effects of multiple chronic diseases on older adults’ health. Wister et al.’s (2018) multimorbidity resilience index was developed and tested in a cross-sectional sample of older adults in Canada. Building on these findings, we examined the reciprocal relationships of resilience on outcomes to test these potentially mitigating effects in a community-based, U.S. sample of older adults over time. The study sample includes 1,054 older adults from waves 2 and 3 of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) study (Waite et al 2020). Wister et al.’s (2018) index was mapped to NSHAP measures, and reciprocal relationships of multimorbidity resilience and health outcomes over a 5-year period was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results indicated significant effects of multimorbidity resilience on self-rated physical health and pain. Interestingly, a better functional resilience at baseline conferred better self-rated physical health at follow-up, while better psychological resilience predicted lower pain level. By contrast, the influence of health outcomes on any domain of multimorbidity resilience was not detectable at all, supporting the direction of these associations from resilience to outcomes. The study systematically investigated the dynamic hypotheses between multimorbidity resilience and health outcomes. That is, whether they are determinants or consequences, or both. Our findings suggest multimorbidity resilience predicts subsequent 5-year change in health outcomes, especially self-rated physical health and pain level, but not vice versa, strengthening the evidence of the importance of resilience in the health of older adults.


Author(s):  
Gayathri S. Kumar ◽  
Jenna A. Beeler ◽  
Emma E. Seagle ◽  
Emily S. Jentes

AbstractSeveral studies describe the health of recently resettled refugee populations in the US beyond the first 8 months after arrival. This review summarizes the results of these studies. Scientific articles from five databases published from January 2008 to March 2019 were reviewed. Articles were included if study subjects included any of the top five US resettlement populations during 2008–2018 and if data described long-term physical health outcomes beyond the first 8 months after arrival in the US. Thirty-three studies met the inclusion criteria (1.5%). Refugee adults had higher odds of having a chronic disease compared with non-refugee immigrant adults, and an increased risk for diabetes compared with US-born controls. The most commonly reported chronic diseases among Iraqi, Somali, and Bhutanese refugee adults included diabetes and hypertension. Clinicians should consider screening and evaluating for chronic conditions in the early resettlement period. Further evaluations can build a more comprehensive, long-term health profile of resettled refugees to inform public health practice.


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