Number Of Social Network Members Research Articles

The Characteristics of Social Network Structure in Later Life in Relation to Incidence of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Conversion to Probable Dementia.

Background:Larger, more active social networks are estimated to be associated with lower risks of cognitive decline. However, roles of various social relationships in a broad social network in protecting against cognitive decline remain to be elucidated.Objective:We aimed to investigate how social roles within a social network and number of social network members are associated with cognitive decline.Methods:Six waves of National Health and Aging Trends Study (2011-2016, NHATS) were utilized to examine the development of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and probable dementia determined using validated criteria. Multivariable-adjusted multi-state survival models were used to model incidences and transitions, jointly with misclassification errors.Results:A total of 6,078 eligible NHATS participants were included (average age: 77.49±7.79 years; female: 58.42%; non-Hispanic white: 68.99%). Multivariable-adjusted analyses revealed that having more social network members was associated with lower hazards of conversion from MCI to probable dementia (adjusted Hazard Ratio; aHR = 0.82; 95%confidence intervals; 95%CI = [0.67–0.99]), meanwhile having at least one college-educated family member within a social network was associated with lower incidence of probable dementia (aHR = 0.37 [0.26–0.51]). Having at least one friend within a social network was associated with a lower hazard of incidence of probable dementia (aHR = 0.48 [0.33–0.71]), but a higher risk of mortality in the MCI group (aHR = 2.58 [1.47–4.51]).Conclusion:Having more social network members, having at least one friend, and having at least one college-educated family member within a social network, were associated with lower risks of incidence of dementia or conversion from MCI to dementia.

Changes in Social Engagement for Incident Caregivers Compared to Controls

Maintaining social engagement is important for the health and well-being of older adults who become caregivers. We assessed the association between incident caregiving and leisure satisfaction as well as the 10-year change in social network size among 245 incident caregivers and 248 matched controls. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to adjust for age, gender, race, education level, income, and geographic region. Compared to controls, incident caregivers had significantly lower levels of leisure satisfaction (p<0.01) and greater declines in total social network size (p<0.01). Incident caregivers and controls did not differ on the change in the number of social network members contacted monthly. Among incident caregivers, dementia caregivers and spouse caregivers had lower leisure satisfaction compared to non-dementia caregivers and non-spouse caregivers, respectively, but no differences were found on social network measures. Future studies should further examine social engagement among caregivers and its influence on their health outcomes.

Social network predictors of recent and sustained injection drug use cessation: findings from a longitudinal cohort study.

The US opioid crisis has led to increases in overdose fatalities and the incidence of HIV, hepatitis C and other infections. This analysis examines social network predictors of recent (self-report injection followed by non-injection) and sustained (self-report non-injection at two consecutive visits among those who previously injected) injection cessation in Appalachian Kentucky. Data were collected through bi-annual longitudinal assessments for Social Networks among Appalachian People (SNAP; 2008-17). Using logistic regression with generalized estimating equations that clustered on individuals, we regressed non-injection status on the number of social network members who (a) did not inject and (b) recently stopped injecting and tested for interactions between each social network exposure and prior non-injection status. Social network exposures were self-reported. Rural eastern Kentucky, USA. Participants entered the analysis only after reporting recent injection and had to have had at least two consecutive study visits (n=326). Interviewer-administered surveys collected individual-level socio-demographics, recent (past 6months) drug use behaviors and the names of recent social support, sex and drug-use partners. After adjusting for confounders, the number of non-injecting social network members was positively associated with recent/sustained injection cessation (adjusted odds ratio=1.27; 95% confidence interval=1.13-1.42) and having more social network members was associated with reduced odds of recent/sustained injection cessation. The number of previously injecting social network members who had recently stopped injecting was not statistically significantly associated with injection cessation. Neither of the interactions we tested for was statistically significant, suggesting that the relationships may be similar for those who recently stopped injecting versus had not injected for at least 1year. For each additional network member who did not inject drugs, there was an increased odds of recent and sustained injection cessation among people with a history of injection drug use in Appalachian Kentucky.

Maternal and paternal warmth impact recovery support and social network composition for substance dependent African American and non-African American women

Background: Poor early relationship experiences during the first 16 years of life may negatively impact adults’ capacity to establish and utilize social support (Suchman et al. 2005). This is especially of concern for women with substance use disorders (SUD) for whom social support is associated with recovery maintenance and treatment retention (Gregoire and Snively 2001). The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of early relationship experiences, specifically paternal and maternal warmth, on recovery related social support and personal network characteristics among African American (AA) and non-AA women in treatment for SUD.Methods: Data were collected from 254 women in substance abuse treatment, 146 AA and 108 non-AA. Ordinal logistic, Poisson or multiple linear regressions were fitted to predict the impact of maternal and paternal warmth during childhood on adult social network composition and recovery support.Results: Greater maternal warmth was associated with greater recovery-specific social support for both AA (β = 0.12) and non-AA (β = 0.15) women. Paternal, but not maternal, warmth significantly predicted the number of social network members who supported recovery for non-AA women (AOR = 1.04), and number of network members who used drugs and alcohol for AA women (IRR = 0.99).Conclusion: Developmental experiences associated with fathers appear to affect different domains of adult functioning than those associated with mothers, and those effects are different for AA versus non-AA women. Attention to these differences may inform culturally relevant substance abuse prevention and treatment efforts.

People and places: Relocating to neighborhoods with better economic and social conditions is associated with less risky drug/alcohol network characteristics among African American adults in Atlanta, GA

BackgroundFew studies assess whether place characteristics are associated with social network characteristics that create vulnerability to substance use. MethodsThis longitudinal study analyzed 7 waves of data (2009–2014) from a predominantly substance-using cohort of 172 African American adults relocated from public housing complexes in Atlanta, GA, to determine whether post-relocation changes in exposure to neighborhood conditions were associated with four network characteristics related to substance use: number of social network members who used illicit drugs or alcohol in excess in the past six months (“drug/alcohol network”), drug/alcohol network stability, and turnover into and out of drug/alcohol networks. Individual- and network-level characteristics were captured via survey and administrative data were used to describe census tracts where participants lived. Multilevel models were used to assess relationships of census tract-level characteristics to network outcomes over time. ResultsOn average, participants relocated to census tracts that had less economic disadvantage, social disorder, and renter-occupied housing. Post-relocation reductions in exposure to economic disadvantage were associated with fewer drug/alcohol network members and less turnover into drug/alcohol networks. Post-relocation improvements in exposure to multiple census tract-level social conditions and reductions in perceived community violence were associated with fewer drug/alcohol network members, less turnover into drug/alcohol networks, less drug/alcohol network stability, and more turnover out of drug/alcohol networks. ConclusionRelocating to neighborhoods with less economic disadvantage and better social conditions may weaken relationships with substance-using individuals.

Idosos com alteração cognitiva em contexto de pobreza: estudando a rede de apoio social

O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar a estrutura e função das redes de apoio social de idosos com alterações cognitivas, residentes em contexto de alta e muito alta vulnerabilidade social, além de identificar associações entre as características das redes e a capacidade funcional. Os sujeitos estudados foram 38 idosos, residentes em contexto de alta e muito alta vulnerabilidade social, que apresentaram resultado no Mini Exame do Estado Mental abaixo da nota de corte. Todos os cuidados éticos foram observados. Aplicaram-se o Mini Exame do Estado Mental, o Diagrama de Escolta, o Índice de Katz e o Questionário de Pfeffer. Os resultados demonstraram que os idosos avaliados possuem rede social grande, com predomínio de integrantes no círculo interno, porém poucos integrantes desempenham papéis funcionais. Observou-se correlação entre a variável sexo e o número de integrantes das redes sociais. Não foi observada correlação significativa entre as características das redes e a capacidade funcional dos idosos.

Social Support and Well-being at Mid-Life Among Mothers of Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders

The present study investigated the impact of social support on the psychological well-being of mothers of adolescents and adults with ASD (n=269). Quantity of support (number of social network members) as well as valence of support (positive support and negative support) were assessed using a modified version of the "convoy model" developed by Antonucci and Akiyama (1987). Having a larger social network was associated with improvements in maternal well-being over an 18-month period. Higher levels of negative support as well as increases in negative support over the study period were associated with increases in depressive symptoms and negative affect and decreases in positive affect. Social support predicted changes in well-being above and beyond the impact of child behavior problems. Implications for clinical practice are discussed.

Social Network Characteristics and Heavy Episodic Drinking Among Women at Risk for HIV/Sexually Transmitted Infections

Social networks can either negatively or positively influence a variety of behaviors, including alcohol use. This study examined social network characteristics that are risk factors for and protective factors against heavy episodic drinking among a sample of women at risk for HIV/sexually transmitted infections. This was a cross-sectional study using baseline data from 567 impoverished women participating in an HIV prevention study in Baltimore, MD. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews at a community-based research clinic. Heavy episodic drinking was defined as six or more drinks per drinking episode on at least a weekly basis. We examined network characteristics, including structure and function and their association with heavy episodic drinking. Multivariate logistic regression was used, adjusting for individual-level factors, such as drug use, demographics, and depression. Approximately 21% of the sample engaged in heavy episodic drinking at least weekly. Controlling for individual-level factors, women who engaged in heavy episodic drinking had fewer social network members (a) who were in drug treatment, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.65, 95% CI [0.49, 0.88]; (b) who were employed, AOR = 0.89, 95% CI [0.79, 0.99]; and (c) with whom the participant socialized, AOR = 0.74, 95% CI [0.63, 0.96]. Women who engaged in heavy episodic drinking had a significantly higher number of social network members with whom they drank alcohol, AOR = 1.71, 95% CI [1.43, 2.03]. Social network characteristics are both protective and risk factors for heavy episodic drinking among women. Interpersonal interventions, such as peer education, may be a useful strategy to decrease heavy episodic drinking and its subsequent outcomes among women.

Emphasizing interpersonal factors: an extension of the Witkiewitz and Marlatt relapse model

Recently, Witkiewitz & Marlatt reformulated the Marlatt & Gordon relapse model to account for current research findings. The present paper aims to extend this model further to incorporate social variables more fully. The social-factors and alcohol-relapse literatures were reviewed within the framework of the reformulated relapse model. The literature review found that the number of social network members, investment of the individual in the social network, levels of general and alcohol-specific support available within the social network and specific behaviors of network members all predict drinking outcomes. However, little is known about the mechanisms by which these social variables influence outcomes. The authors postulate that social variables influence outcomes by affecting intra-individual factors central to the reformulated relapse prevention model, including processes (e.g. self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, craving, motivation, negative affective states) and behaviors (e.g. coping and substance use). The authors suggest specific hypotheses and discuss methods that can be used to study the impact of social factors on the intra-individual phenomena that contribute to relapse. The proposed extension of the relapse model provides testable hypotheses that may guide future alcohol-relapse research.

Individual and Social Network Factors that Predict Entry to Drug Treatment

Prospective data were analyzed to examine individual and social network characteristics that predict entry into drug treatment among a sample of 557 heroin and cocaine users. Entering treatment was associated with being HIV positive [AOR: 2.25, 95% CI: 1.33-3.81] and a history of drug treatment [AOR: 3.41, 95% CI: 2.19-5.31]. Individuals with a greater number of social network members who were in drug treatment [AOR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.07-1.56] and fewer network members who smoked crack [AOR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.75-0.99] were more likely to enter treatment. Social network-based interventions that promote successful outcomes in drug treatment are needed.

Stressful life events and disability in early rheumatoid arthritis

The objective was to investigate the relationship of stressful life events and disability in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA), taking into account a possible stress-buffering effect of the social network. As part of a European study (EURIDISS), 337 early RA patients in France and The Netherlands (mean disease duration = 2.3 years) were interviewed for life events which had occurred in the past year. The social network composition was assessed using a standardized interview schedule and described by network density and proximity characteristics. Disability was assessed with the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) cross-culturally adapted to the French and Dutch languages. Subjects reported a median of 2 significant life events over the past year. On average they had 20 persons in their social network. The disability was significantly higher when the number of life events experienced was higher (r = 0.11; p<0.05) and when the number of social network members in monthly contact with the subjects was lower (r = −0.13; p<0.05). Controlling for country, the HAQ score increased significantly with the disease duration, disease activity variables, number of life events related to RA or to another health problem and decreased with the number of social network members. A significant (number of health-related life events)x(number of social network members) cross-product term entered the model which fitted the data better (R2 =0.51). Factors associated with disability are disease duration, disease activity, number of health-related life events and number of social network members in monthly contact. The results suggest a stress-buffering effect of the social network in coping with stressful life events in early RA.

The Social Networks and Activity Patterns of Adults with Severe Disabilities: A Correlational Analysis

This article reports information on the interrelations among measures of lifestyle quality for 20 adults with severe disabilities living in the community. Using two interview-based measures, data were collected on the social networks and activity patterns of the participants. The results indicate that the overall size of the social networks and the number of family members were highly associated with a greater frequency and variety of activities across home and community settings. The results also indicate that neither the number of social network members paid to provide support, nor the number of friends were significantly related to activity patterns. Finally, implications for measuring lifestyle quality and the use of outcome-based measures for assisting people to build and maintain social relationships are presented.

The Relationship Between Interpersonal Communication Competence and Social Support Groups in Retirement Communities

Self-report measures assessing communication competence, social network size, and social support satisfaction were administered to elders living in senior communities. The results indicated that (a) high-communication-competent individuals were not significantly more satisfied with the social support received than were low-communication-competent individuals, (b) high-communication-competent individuals maintained larger social networks than low-communication-competent individuals, and (c) social support satisfaction was a slightly better discriminator of high communication competence than was the reported number of social network members. These findings suggest that communication competence is an integral part of social support processes.