High Social Capital Research Articles

The impact of work-place social capital in hospitals on patient-reported quality of care: a cohort study of 5205 employees and 23,872 patients in Denmark

BackgroundDecision-makers increasingly consider patient-reported outcomes as important measures of care quality. Studies on the importance of work-place social capital–a collective work-place resource–for the experience of care quality are lacking. We determined the association between the level of work-place social capital and patient-reported quality of care in 148 hospital sections in the Capital Region of Denmark.MethodsThis cross-sectional study combined section-level social capital from 5205 health care professionals and 23,872 patient responses about care quality. Work-place social capital encompassed three dimensions: trust, justice and collaboration. Patient-reported quality of care was measured as: overall satisfaction, patient involvement, and medical errors. Linear regression analysis and generalized linear models assessed the mean differences in patient reported experience outcomes and the risk of belonging to the lowest tertile of care quality.ResultsA higher level of work-place social capital (corresponding to the interquartile range) was associated with higher patient-reported satisfaction and inpatient and acute care patient involvement. The risk of a section belonging to the lowest tertile of patient involvement was lower in sections with higher social capital providing inpatient (RR = 0.39, 0.19–0.81 per IQR increase) and acute care (RR = 0.53, 0.31–0.89). Patient-reported errors were fewer in acute care sections with higher social capital (RR = 0.65, 0.43 to 0.99). The risk of being in the lowest tertile of patient-reported satisfaction was supported for acute care sections (RR = 0.47, 0.28–0.79).ConclusionsAlthough we found small absolute differences in the association between patient-reported experience measures and social capital, even a small upward shift in the distribution of social capital in the hospital sector would, at the population level, have a large positive impact on patients’ care experience.

Carnistic Colonialism: A Rhetorical Dissection of “Bushmeat” in the 2014 Ebola Outbreak

This article argues that a fusion of critical animal studies and postcolonial critique affords food systems scholars a richer understanding of Western media narratives regarding a “bushmeat problem” during the 2014 Ebola outbreak. To do so, I perform a rhetorical analysis of expert, journalistic, and editorial texts disseminated through outlets with high economic and/or social capital in North American and Western European countries. My analysis demonstrates three overarching themes in these texts regarding the intersections of bushmeat and Ebola, which I describe as: 1) biosecurity; 2) conservation; and 3) development. By invoking an ethic of anti-speciesism and decoloniality, I not only demonstrate the colonial logics at play in the 2014 Ebola outbreak, but also name an insidious ideology fundamental to food systems discourse in postcolonial contexts: carnistic colonialism.

Lifecourse socioeconomic changes and late-life cognition in a cohort of U.S.-born and U.S. immigrants: findings from the KHANDLE study

BackgroundLow socioeconomic status (SES) in early and late life has been associated with lower late-life cognition. Less is known about how changes in SES from childhood to late life are associated with late-life cognition, especially among diverse populations of older adults.MethodsIn a multi-ethnic sample (n = 1353) of older adults, we used linear regression to test associations of change in comprehensive measures of SES (financial, cultural, and social domains) from childhood to late life with semantic memory, episodic memory, and executive function. We tested whether the association between SES trajectory and late-life cognition differed by populations who resided in the U.S. during childhood or immigrated to the U.S. as adults.ResultsParticipants with low childhood/high late-life financial capital had better semantic memory (β = 0.18; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.32) versus those with low financial capital in both childhood and late life, regardless of childhood residence. We observed a significant interaction in the association of verbal episodic memory and cultural capital by childhood residence (p = 0.08). Participants with a foreign childhood residence had higher verbal episodic memory if they had low childhood/high late-life cultural capital (β = 0.32; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.63), but lower verbal episodic memory if they had high childhood/low late-life cultural capital (β = − 0.40; 95% CI: − 0.94, 0.13). Having high lifecourse social capital was associated with better verbal episodic memory scores among those with a U.S. childhood (β = 0.34; 95% CI: 0.14, 0.55), but lower verbal episodic memory among those with a foreign childhood (β = − 0.10; 95% CI: − 0.51, 0.31).ConclusionsHigh financial and cultural capital in late life is associated with better cognition, regardless of early childhood SES or childhood residence.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Dementia: Interactions With Social Capital in the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study Cohort

This study investigated whether individual-level social capital modifies the association between adverse childhood experiences and dementia onset. A 3-year follow-up (2013-2016) was conducted among participants who were physically and cognitively independent in the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study. Dementia incidence for 16,821 participants was assessed through the public long-term care insurance system. Adverse childhood experiences before age 18 years and social capital were assessed using a self-report questionnaire at baseline in 2013. A total of 7 adverse childhood experiences were assessed: parental death, parental divorce, parental mental illness, family violence, physical abuse, psychological neglect, and psychological abuse. To assess social capital's mediating effect, 3 individual social capital items were measured (community trust, reciprocity, and attachment). The overall social capital score was categorized as low (<10th percentile), middle (10th-90th percentile), or high (>90th percentile). Data were analyzed in 2020. During the 3-year follow-up, 652 dementia cases occurred. Those with more adverse childhood experiences had a greater risk of dementia. Stratification by social capital score showed that the hazard ratio of ≥3 adverse childhood experiences (versus none) was 3.25 (95% CI=1.73, 6.10) among those with low social capital and 1.19 (95% CI=0.58, 2.43) among those with middle social capital. Among those with ≥3 adverse childhood experiences and high social capital, no dementia cases were observed. Among older adults in Japan, adverse childhood experiences were associated with increased dementia incidence only for those with low social capital.

Social Capital, Trusting, and Trustworthiness: Evidence from Peer-to-Peer Lending

AbstractHow does social capital affect trust? Evidence from a Chinese peer-to-peer lending platform shows that regional social capital affects the trustee’s trustworthiness and the trustor’s trust propensity. Ceteris paribus, borrowers from regions with higher social capital receive larger bids from individual lenders and have higher funding success, larger loan sizes, and lower default rates, especially for low-quality borrowers. Lenders from regions with higher social capital take higher risks and have higher default rates, especially for inexperienced lenders. Cross-regional transactions are most (least) likely to be realized between parties from regions with high (low) social capital.

Tracing roots of group representation among MPs with immigrant backgrounds: A content analysis on parliamentary questions in the Netherlands

This study investigates the representative patterns of MPs with immigrant backgrounds in the case of the Netherlands. Departing from existing literature on minority representatives, we claim that minority representatives can adopt suppressive, as well as supportive, framings when addressing constituencies with whom they share similar backgrounds. A content analysis was conducted on the parliamentary work of minority representatives to detect which frames those representatives adopt when they address cultural and/or religious rights and liberties. As for explanatory variables, we examined the role of the retreat from multicultural policies in the Netherlands on the one hand and individual and group related variables on the other. Our content analysis reveals no fundamental linear shift towards more suppressive framing during the 2002–2017 period. Minority MPs from progressive parties are more likely to use supportive frames than those MPs from conservative parties. Coming from a Turkish background – the most organized ethnic group with the highest social capital in the country – significantly adds to the likelihood of a supportive form of representation. Gender is another significant variable explaining where minority representatives stand, with male MPs being more inclined to use supportive frames on ethnic and/or religious rights and liberties than female MPs.

Impact of teachers’ social capital on their professional performance: A narrative inquiry

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of social capital on teachers’ professional performance. The participants were ten male subject specialists from government higher secondary schools of District Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The method of data collection was one-on-one in person through in-depth interview. Teachers’ narratives showed that teachers who had stronger social capital performed better their others. Performance of the teachers who showed high level of participation and willingness were those with high social capital. They were more interested in curricular and co-curricular activities that enhanced their professional performance. There is a strong bond of good relationship between teachers and students that was an efficient solution to meet the different needs of a classroom collectively as well as individual students, which impacts positively on students’ learning and teachers’ performance. There was no contribution from parents for success of the students. Owing to financial constraints, the parents were more inclined to engage their children for earning and part time job. Moreover, lack of awareness, jobless white collars in their surroundings, labouring and earning livelihood far away from home are the reasons that they take negligible interest in contributing to the success of their children.

Population health partnerships and social capital: Facilitating hospital-community partnerships.

Social capital refers to the social norms and networks that build trust and enable individuals to pursue shared objectives; it can vary considerably between communities and across time. Considerable evidence suggests that the presence of social capital at the local or state level is associated with improved individual health and lower community-level mortality, chronic illness, and diseases of despair such as substance abuse. Social capital may influence health outcomes because community-engaged institutions are more common in communities with strong social bonds and cross-sector partnerships are more easily leveraged. This study examines the impact of social capital on the effectiveness of health care organizations, specifically hospitals, in establishing population health partnerships which are critical for addressing health disparities and reducing preventable deaths. In a national sample of hospitals, we find that in communities with high social capital, hospitals are more likely to hold partnerships with public health and social service agencies. Social capital within communities may create the conditions in which hospitals are able to easily identify possible partnerships and engage in collaborative efforts to improve population health.

After the dust settles: Community resilience legacies of unconventional gas development

This paper explores the socio-economic legacy created by an extractive industry as it developed, or sought to develop, in nine different communities or regions across Australia, Canada, the United States, and Wales – drawing on mixed-method research collected between 2011 and 2018. By the early 2010s, a number of unconventional fossil fuel companies were securing land access agreements for seismic and drilling exploration in the Western Downs region of South-East Queensland, the Northern Rivers region of North-Eastern New South Wales, the states of New York and Pennsylvania, the Province of New Brunswick, and southern Wales. Stark cultural, social and environmental contrasts between communities within each nation shaped community responses to potential industry development – levels of social license for developments, community responses and subsequent unconventional fossil fuel development varied widely. This article explores the impact of the industry on community resilience. A resilient community is likely to have high social capital, including strong social networks, feelings of safety and trust, sense of belonging, diversity, citizen power and participation. These social responses to the industry, combined with the existing local contexts and the differing regulatory frameworks of each community/region, can be argued to have led to divergent effects on overall community social and economic resilience across our case studies. Power, industrial impacts, relationships, resources, social action, timing of the debates, equity concerns, and strategic decision making (or lack thereof) shaped the degree of resilience with which each community/region responded. In four of our cases, resilience declined (e.g., due to increased economic homogenisation, decreasing social connectivity and citizen power); in five cases resilience increased (e.g., the legacy created by the emergence of social movements substantially increased social connectivity, sense of belonging and citizen power).

Economic and Social Factors That Predict Readmission for Mental Health and Drug Abuse Patients

According to the United Nations, curtailing the rise of mental illness and drug abuse has been an important goal for sustainable development of member states. In the United States, reducing readmission rates for mental health and drug abuse patients is critical, given the rising health care costs and a strained health care system. This study aims to examine economic and social factors that predict readmission likelihood for mental health and drug abuse patients in the state of New York. Patient admission data of 25,846 mental health patients and 32,702 drug abuse patients with multiple visits in New York hospitals in 2015 were examined. Findings show that economic factors like income level and payment type impact readmission rates differently: The poorest patients were less likely to get readmitted while patients with higher incomes were likely to experience drug relapse. Regarding social factors, mental health patients who lived in neighborhoods with high social capital were less likely to be readmitted, but drug abuse patients in similar areas were more likely to be readmitted. The findings show that policy-makers and hospital administrators need to approach readmission rates differently for each group of patients.

The Associations of Clean and Healthy Behavior, Social Capital, and Nutritional Status in Children Under Five in Waingapu Health Center

Background: Quality nutrition is a deter­mi­nant of children's survival, health, and growth. Nutritional problems and lack of nutrient intake are also about whether bad in the environment or commonly known as clean and healthy behavior. Social capital refers to social relationships and connections between indivi­duals because it is more of a relationship between individuals than an individual attri­bute. This study aimed to examine the relation­ship between clean and healthy behavior and social capital with the nutritional status of children under five at the Waingapu City Health Center. Subjects and Method: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Waingapu Health Center, East Sumba, East Nusa Teng-gara, Indonesia, in April 2021. The sample was 200 mothers, and children under five were selected randomly. The dependent variable was child nutritional status (WAZ). The indepen­dent variables were social capital, clean and healthy behavior, gender, maternal age, mater-nal occupation, and maternal education. Data were collected by using a questionnaire and analyzed by multiple logistic regression. Results: Clean and healthy lifestyle improved good nutritional status (OR= 5.50; 95% CI= 1.19 to 25.43; p= 0.029). High social capital in­creased good nutritional status (OR= 2.28; 95% CI= 1.15 to 4.51; p= 0.017). Conclusion: Healthy, clean living behavior, and high social capital improve good nutria­tional status. Keywords: clean and healthy behavior, social capital, nutritional status Correspondence: Stevani Rambu Kudu. Masters Program in Public Health, Universitas Sebelas Maret. Jl. Ir. Sutami 36A, Surakarta 57126, Central Java. Email: Stevanir09@student.uns.ac.id. Mobile: 082226431161. Journal of Health Promotion and Behavior (2021), 06(01): 57-66 https://doi.org/10.26911/thejhpb.2021.06.01.06

Multilevel Social Mechanisms of Post-Disaster Depression.

This exploratory study empirically shows how community social capital is related to post-disaster depression, whereas most disaster mental health research has focused on posttraumatic stress disorder. We tested the validity of earlier found multilevel social and individual mechanisms of posttraumatic stress for symptoms of post-disaster depression. We used data (n = 231) from a community study after a flood in Morpeth (2008), a rural town in northern England. At the salutary community level, our multilevel analyses showed that, in communities with high social capital, individuals employ less individual social support and coping effort, which protects individuals from developing symptoms of depression. Yet, on the ‘dark’ individual level of our model, we found that perceiving the disaster as less traumatic after a year was related to more feelings of depression in contrast to previous findings for posttraumatic stress. Our explanation of this finding is that, when the appraisal of the disaster as threatening fades into the background, individuals may perceive the full scope of the disaster aftermath and start to feel depressed. We also found that more social support is related to more depression. Although depressed people may attract or receive more social support, this social support can paradoxically become disabling by reinforcing a sense of dependence, thereby undermining self-esteem and leading to feelings of helplessness. Our results imply that to curb post-disaster depression, boosting community level social capital may be an important starting point for building resilience. At the same time, interventionists need to identify risk groups for whom the stressful experience becomes less intrusive and who experience the burden of dependency on an unequal relationship with ones’ social inner circle.

Social capital, external regulations, and financial reporting quality: evidence from community banks

Using a large sample of US community banks, we study how social capital affects bank managers' opportunistic reporting behaviour. We argue that high social capital reduces information asymmetry between managers and stakeholders and increases the cost of opportunistic reporting for managers. Supporting this argument, we find that social capital is negatively associated with discretionary loan loss provisions. We further find that the negative relation between social capital and opportunistic reporting behaviour is weaker when in banks subject to stronger regulations, which suggests that strong regulations act as a substitute to high social capital in constraining banks' opportunistic reporting behaviour.

Magnitude and determinants of "Social Capital" among women in reproductive age group - A cross-sectional study from rural Wardha, Central India.

Context:Social capital reflects the trust, norms, values and social processes that governs interaction among people.Aim:This study was conducted to estimate the magnitude and determinants of social capital among women of reproductive age group in selected village of rural Wardha, Central India.Materials and Methods:It was a community based cross-sectional study where two stage cluster sampling technique was used to select 300 participants from 22 villages. Data were collected using a pre-designed interviewer administered questionnaire by house-to-house survey. Social capital was measured using the core set of Integrated Questionnaire for the Measurement of Social Capital developed by World Bank.Statistical Analysis:Multivariate linear regression was applied to find out determinants of social capital.Results:Most of the participants had poor social capital score (women having lowest and middle tertile scores were 36.0% and 45%, respectively). social capital poorer in younger women, women with lower educational qualification, not involved in gainful occupation, belonging to below poverty line and unmarried compared to their counterparts. Having at least one son was positively associated with higher social capital. In adjusted analysis, age, education, occupation, marital status, and whether the woman has son were revealed as significant determinants of social capital.Conclusion:The study findings reflect the need of improving education and job opportunity among rural women to improve their social capital. Increase of social capital among women having male child reflects the need to percolate the message of gender equity and gender sensitive education.

Social Capital as the Basis for the DevelopmentalMovement of the Independent Village and IntegratedHoney Village

Social capital has become a determinant for uneven regional development. Social capital is very much needed in development, be it human development and social, culture and economic. Social capital such as trust, social networks and norms/values of community ​​have developed and become a factor that has a direct and important impact on regional development. This dissertation research was carried out in order to identify and analyze social capital as a foundation of development in the Sangatta city, East Kutai Regency, East Kalimantan Province to know the supporting factors and constraints of development in the Sangatta city. The approach of this research is descriptive qualitative, it is designed to gather information about real situations that are in progress. Data analysis technique that will be used in qualitative research is data analysis according to Moleong which is focused during the process in the field together with data collection. Development Movement of the Independent Village and Integrated (Gerbang Desa Madu) has succeeded in strengthening social capital and creating social integration in Sangatta East Kutai Regency. Community trust in regional development based on social reality shows strong support seen from the development of facilities and access to education, health, clean water and electricity. Norms and social networks that develop in the community are formed from the diversity of ethnic groups or regional origins, culture and religion, so that the complexity has also formed social networks based on kinship, neighborliness and friendship in harmony on support of regional development. The supporting factor for regional development in the area of ​​North Sangatta District is having a wealth of natural and human resources. Human resources related to social life have given rise to high social capital. Then the inhibiting factors of regional development are the limited regional development budget and the problem of utilizing natural resources and maintaining the quality of the environment.

Ethnic Disparities in Social Capital and Health among Jewish and Arab Participants in the Israeli Mamanet Cachibol League.

The Israeli Mamanet Cachibol League (MCL) serves as a community model that incorporates physical activity and amateur team sports among women. Team sports have been shown to bridge gaps and build positive relationships between communities. There is a paucity of data regarding the advantages of team sports to promote the health and well-being of women from different ethnic backgrounds. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of participation in MCL with social capital, health, and well-being across two ethnic groups: Jewish and Arab women. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among women aged 25–64: 102 Jewish and 96 Arab MCL participants, and 102 Jewish and 81 Arab non-MCL participants. Data regarding social capital (trust, social support and social involvement) and well-being (self-reported health and psychosomatic and depressive symptoms) were analyzed using two-way analyses of covariance and multiple regression models with sequential entry of the variables. MCL participants from both ethnic groups reported higher social capital (p < 0.001), better self-reported health (p < 0.001), and lower psychosomatic symptoms (p < 0.001) compared to non-participants. Jewish MCL participants reported lower depressive symptoms (p < 0.001) than non-participants, however no difference was found between Arab MCL participants and non-participants (p < 0.160). Amateur team sports such as MCL are related with higher levels of well-being and social capital. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies that examine the change in social capital and well-being over time.

Passive, Indifferent, Engaged? The Faces of Local Civic Activity in Finland

Among European states Nordic countries, including Finland, are often set as examples of countries with high social capital, in which citizens willingly engage into decision-making process. The aim of the article is to verify this assumption and to present diverse attitudes of citizens towards local engagement. The article is based on quantitative data (statistics on civic involvement) as well as qualitative research (interviews with councillors from selected Finnish municipalities). The conclusion points at transformation of Finnish democracy and the fact that paradoxically developed institutions of representative democracy may have a negative influence on the wiliness to apply further, non-electoral mechanisms of civic involvement.

Not belonging where others do: a cross-sectional analysis of multi-level social capital interactions on health and mental well-being in Wales

BackgroundSocial capital may be a social good in health terms, but it is not necessarily a universal good. Several studies have shown that while there is a positive association between...

Social capital and health among participants in the cachibol league in Israel

The Israeli cachibol league, Mamanet, is a grass roots non-professional community sports club for mothers. Our aim was to assess if participants in the Mamanet League have higher levels of social capital and if social capital and wellbeing improve with time. Two groups were interviewed: a control group not participating in the league and a group of Mamanet participants. The women were interviewed within 3 months of joining (T1) and 13–15 months later (T2). The questionnaire included questions on sociodemographic characteristics, social capital (social support, social involvement, trust) and wellbeing (self-reported health (SRH), psychosomatic symptoms, depressive symptoms). At T1 the participants had higher social capital and SRH scores than the control group and lower psychosomatic and depressive symptoms compared with the control group. Participation in the Mamanet League seems to improve two of the three social capital measures: social support and social involvement, showing an increase among the Mamanet group over time and no change in the control group. Participation in the league had no significant effect on wellbeing during this period. Women that participate in sports clubs may initially have higher social capital; in addition, participation may increase levels of social capital over time.

Hierarchical Structure Analysis on Health Determinants of Living Environment Defining Social Capital

In Japan, healthcare and nursing care expenses for the elderly are increasing year by year, and extending healthy life expectancy is therefore desirable. Social capital (SC) is a measure of the degree of social interaction and has been gaming attention as a health-related Previous studies have shown that few people have poor subjective health in areas with good SC scores. Thus, a living environment that fosters SC might facilitate the improvement and maintenance of health status. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of living, environment, such as facilities and community outreach efforts, on nursing care risk as mediated by SC. A questionnaire survey was carried out for 3 weeks from September to October 201S.Panicipants were adults in three elementary’ school districts in Niihama City, Ehime Prefecture. Japan Survey contents included SC, neighborhood environment, residential environment, and health status. A total of 7,220 questionnaires were distributed, And 2,053 were correctly completed (valid response rate = 28.4%). Of respondents over 65 years of age, 26.8% were at high risk of needing long-term care. Logistic regression analysis was performed to clarify the relationship between SC and the risk of requiring long-term care / support and The relationship between SC and living environment. The analysis model considered factors including age. sex. educational attainment, and length of residence in the area. The odds ratio (OR) of requiring long-term care for low SC compared with high SC was 1.91 (p <0.01). and the OR of requiring long-term care for living environment factors ranged from 1.6 to 2.0 (p <0.01). Finally, path analysis was performed. The determination coefficient for the risk of long-term care was 0.19. In summary, it became clear that among the factors of the living environment, the place of residence of the facility’ affects the SC, either directly or through community components.