Social environment and health--a social epidemiological frame of reference.

Abstract

Growing interest in epidemiological studies and prevention has led to increased awareness of the importance of the social environment to health. In this field of research, which might be designated social epidemiology, there is today extensive research into the possible association between different types of social factors and ill-health in the population. This article presents a social epidemiological frame of reference and some social factors of importance when one is studying the relationships between the social environment and health. Important social factors in the model are social stratification, social network, social support and life-style factors. Two other main categories of social factors in the model are circumstances and events related to social stratification or occupation and social network respectively. These may be factors in the external or internal work environment and variables describing the general activity level of the individual or different types of stressful social network-related life events. Other important factors in the model are physiological and clinical factors and three different types of health indicator. In the field of social epidemiological research, there is an increasing need for the development of theoretical models and frameworks as support in the analysis of social factors and health. These could be based on experience and tradition in both epidemiological research and the social sciences.