Social Support and Health

Abstract

Social involvement plays important roles both in how individuals handle stress and in regimens that support healthy lifestyles. Close relationships and involvement in community activities are predictive of how long a person will live and, for women, of the course of their pregnancies. There are important differences between those aspects of social relationships which are most protective for men and women. Global social involvement seems to be more important for the health of women than for men. While men seem to derive greater benefits from marriage, women seem to be able to profit more from many kinds of relationships, including those with friends, relatives and children. Women also seem to be more prone to experiencing negative effects from social involvement. Physicians should be aware of these differences and be prepared both to provide information and emotional support to women in acute medical crises, and to involve existing social supports in treatment and, if necessary, make referrals to appropriate support groups.