Social Capital Indicators Research Articles

The Association between Social Capital, Food Security, and Type 2 Diabetes Management

Abstract Background Given nutrition’s key role in treating diabetes, food insecurity may seriously affect the standard management of the disease. A patient’s social environment or community plays an important role in managing the disease. This study explores how food security and social capital are associated with the management of type 2 diabetes. Methods A cross-sectional telephone survey of 381 Israelis Jewish and Arab with type 2 diabetes was conducted. Data was collected on food security, social capital, disease management factors, and socioeconomic status. Moreover, medical records provided information about HbA1c, age, and disease diagnosis date for each respondent. Results Blood glucose balance (HbA1c ≤7mmol/mol) was associated with employment, while unemployed respondents had a better balance. Food security is correlated with health perception - the better the food security, the better the health perception. Food security is related to social and family support, as well as to neighborhood help and connections. The social capital index increases as food security increases. A higher disease management index score, as well as a higher trust index score, indicates a more balanced patient. In light of the fact that food security is associated with social aspects of health, it may act as a mediator between social capital and perceived health. Conclusions Social factors directly affect the balance of the disease. Subjective health and gender were associated with food security. Social capital and support are linked to subjective health reporting through food security, so this variable is a mediator. It can be concluded that social factors and food security play a role in subjective health assessment in diabetics. Diabetes management and balancing depend not only on behavioral factors but also on environmental and social factors. Key messages • Food security is a necessary factor in balancing blood glucose levels, as well as a mediator factor between social capital and perceived health among diabetics. • A balanced diabetes requires social support, such as a supportive social environment and must consider the individual’s character.

Assessing social capital and its impact on economic performance: A comparative study of members and non-members of farmer producer companies in India

Farmer producer companies (FPCs), modern farmer collectives registered under India’s Companies Act, play a crucial role in providing core services like input supply, marketing, technical, and financial support, as well as auxiliary services such as social capital and consultancy, which are linked to higher economic performance and innovation. The study analyzes the levels of social capital among members and non-members of FPCs and their relationship to the economic performance of their members. The data on social capital were collected from 20 FPCs (292 members and 77 non-members) from Maharashtra state of India. Unpaired student T-tests and Mann-Whitney tests were performed to compare the levels of social capital among the members and non-members. OLS regression was performed to understand the difference in social capital and its effect on economic performance. The results reveal that all the indicators of social capital were significantly higher for the members (Mean = 4.27) than for non-members (Mean = 3.14). The social capital indicators related to membership and participation in groups (p-value < 0.10) and the sharing of production and other information (p-value < 0.01) positively affected economic performance. Higher levels of education (p-value < 0.05) and frequent contact with members (p-value < 0.01) positively affected, whereas higher landholding (p-value < 0.10) and years of membership (p-value < 0.01) negatively affected the economic performance of members. As the Indian government plans to add 10,000 FPCs in the next three years, the strategy to increase the social capital of FPCs may enhance the overall resilience and sustainability of rural economies.

Unpacking Social Capital

Abstract We use novel survey data from Italy to shed light on key questions regarding the measurement of social capital and the use of social capital indicators for empirical work. Our data cover a sample of over 600,000 respondents interviewed between 2000 and 2015. We identify four distinct components of social capital – (i) social participation, (ii) political participation, (iii) general trust, and (iv) trust in institutions – and examine how they relate to each other. We then study how each dimension of social capital relates to various socioeconomic factors both at the individual and the aggregate level, and to various proxies of social capital commonly used in the literature. Finally, building on previous work, we investigate to what extent different dimensions of social capital predict differences in key economic, political, and health outcomes. Our findings support the view that social capital is a multifaceted object with multiple dimensions that, while related, are distinct from each other. Future work should take such multi-dimensionality into account and carefully consider what measure of social capital to use.

Exploring the structure of household social capital in rural Vietnam: Applying Bayesian network approach.

This study aims to explore the structure of the households' social capital of rural Vietnam households with secondary data from 2008 to 2018. This paper applied the fundamental theories (resource and network theories) and the Bayesian network to estimate the interaction of proxies to explore the structure of social capital. Results showed that the triangle structure in household social capital with the core point is organization participation. The connections show the tendency from organization participation, linking to household networks. Alongside that, linking social capital and Organization participation are determinants of social capital indicators (social events, social cost). Therefore, this paper suggests employing proxies such as structured indicators for integrating social capital into the livelihood papers.

Do Where People Interact Matters to Social Capital? Comparative Analysis of Middle- and High-Rise Public Housing

As a growing country, the challenge of providing affordable housing has grown over recent years. Public housing has emerged as a leading government initiative to provide better housing alternatives, especially for low incomes. However, due to the limited land availability, public housing development has shifted from middle- to high-rise housing type. Previous studies have shown that high-rise living can have detrimental effects on low-income residents, especially regarding their social capital. This study explores the interactional spaces within both housing types, their social capital, and whether the former influences the latter. Quantitative analysis was conducted on 255 respondents in middle- and high-rise public housing for low incomes in the Jakarta Special Region, Indonesia. The results indicated some similarities as well as differences in both housing styles. Respondents in both housing types mostly interacted in corridor areas, even though the percentage was higher for the high-rise case. Moreover, while both cases lacked the same social capital indicators, the middle-rise case had a relatively better situation than its high-rise counterparts. Furthermore, it was found that interactional spaces appear to influence their social capital, and the effects were varied for both middle- and high-rise and each social capital indicator. This study concludes that the intensity of interaction within a particular space does not necessarily translate to better social capital.

Evaluation of Social Capital Attributes as Predictors of Collective Actions among Smallholder Farmers in Tinderet Sub-County, Kenya

Small farms make up 85% of farms worldwide. Similarly, in Kenya, the agriculture sector is dominated by smallholder farmers. To overcome constraints imposed by small units and for sustainable development, smallholders often organise themselves into groups or farmer-producer organisations (FPOs) to access services. They exploit elements of social capital; social networks, norms and trust to enhance cooperation for collective actions. It is often assumed that social capital attributes among farmers’ groups are exploited for positive collective actions such as access to credits and the sale of aggregated produce. Social capital attributes, however, differ from one farmer organisation to another. This study evaluated levels of social capital attributes among farmers from value-chain-linked groups. The predictive value of the social capital indicators on the desired outcome of collective actions was investigated. Based on a retrospective study design, interviews were conducted on 72 farmers drawn from 9 FPOs with 215 members. Attitude scales ranked 1 to 5 were used to gather the opinions of participants on the attributes. Participants were sampled by purposive and multi-stage sampling schemes. Single-sample Wilcoxon test was used to analyse strength of each attribute among participants. Median value for indicators of social trust, social participation, norms, common vision and social networks were significantly higher than ‘neutral,’ P< .05. Collective actions in inputs-acquisition and produce-selling did not differ significantly from ‘neutral’ (P > .05). The mean for social capital attributes had strong predictive ability on collective actions as tested by Spearman’s Rank analysis using SPSS; R2 = .382, P = .000. The collective actions in learning, inputs-purchase, produce-selling, price negotiations and market-information seeking could be predicted from the social capital attributes evaluated. It is recommended that stakeholders build capacity of FPOs, particularly for collective actions in inputs-acquisition and marketing of produce for sustainable development

Constructing A Model of the Impact of Human Capital and Social Capital on the Employment Quality of Chinese University Graduates: Based on the Mediating Role of Career Development

Introduction: This article is based on the theories of human capital, social capital, social interaction, and collaborative governance. From the dual perspectives of human capital and social capital, combined with the mediating role of career development, it studies the factors that affect the quality of employment for university students and constructs a conceptual model to determine the mediating role of career development between human capital, social capital, and the quality of employment for university graduates. Through a large amount of literature and previous research theories, suitable employment quality indicators, human capital indicators, social capital indicators, and career development indicators were selected. This article reveals the influencing factors of improving the employment quality of university graduates, providing ideas for improving the employment quality of university graduates and promoting the improvement of the higher education system and the stable development of the social economy. Objective: It introduces a novel perspective on career development and explores the mediating role of career development in the impact of human capital and social capital on the employment quality of university graduates. This not only provides more objective and scientific guidance for university graduates' job values, self-awareness, and planning but also helps them better develop and cultivate their own human capital and social capital capability providing effective practical guidance. At the same time, it can provide objective analytical data for the reform of major settings in university education, the establishment of career courses, and the fair and reasonable formulation of employment policies, providing a new research perspective for studying the quality of employment of university graduates. Theoretical Framework: In the developmental stage, at least four economists have made outstanding contributions: Theodore W. Schultz and Gary Becker, Jacob Mincer and Edward Denison, respectively from different angles in different fields for the formation of the basic framework of the foundation, the modern sense of human capital theory was born, not only laid the theoretical foundation for the western education economics but also opened up a new field of western economics research. Method: The research of domestic and foreign scholars on the career development of university students is similar. Due to the differences in the focus, attention topics, and research methods, the dimensions of career development of university students are also defined differently. Results and Discussion: The theories of human capital and social capital have received attention and recognition from scholars as the basis for studying the quality of employment for university graduates. The impact of human capital and social capital on the quality of employment for university graduates is also significant. However, in existing research, there are not many studies that focus on the quality of employment for university graduates from the perspectives of schools and social governance, based on social interaction theory and collaborative governance theory. Specifically, there is a lack of systematic theoretical support and empirical exploration in exploring the impact of major differences and career development on the quality of employment for university graduates, and overall, it is still in the exploratory stage. Research Implications: The research results indicate that there is a significant correlation between career development, human capital, social capital, and the quality of employment for university graduates Originality/Value: This model is not yet tested in Chinese contexts.

Something new under the sun. A spatial econometric analysis of the adoption of photovoltaic systems in Italy

This paper analyses the adoption of photovoltaic systems (PV) in Italy. We employ a spatial econometric approach applied to province-level data for 2015–2021 to identify the main determinants of PV adoption and to gauge both the potential bias deriving from spatial dependence and the spillover effects affecting neighboring areas in PV diffusion. We test different spatial econometric models and different types of economic, social and demographic variables. We add new regressors to consider the role of housing market dynamics (volume of sales and price of transaction) as a possible driver of PV adoption. We find that the housing market and electricity consumption are important positive determinants of PV adoption, whereas social capital and socio-demographic indicators do not provide statistical evidence of being major drivers of PV adoption. We confirm that other economic factors, like average income, can explain PV diffusion, whereas solar irradiation does not show to play a critical role. We do not find an important role of policies on energy efficiency and renewable energy in the housing sector, but our data timeframe covers a period after the very high incentives from the ‘Conto Energia’ and, at the same time, prevents us from observing the possible effects of the ‘Superbonus 110’ introduced in 2021. Moreover, our findings indicate that spatial dependence exists between neighboring areas in PV adoption, suggesting that spatial econometric models can be robust empirical approaches for interpreting PV deployment in studies at the regional or sub-regional level.

Abstract 4795: Social capital and screening mammography rates in the United States

Abstract Background: Social capital may play a role in screening mammogram utilization by influencing individuals' access to information and providing social support for healthy behaviors. However, few studies have examined associations between community-level social capital and screening mammography use. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between county-level social capital and screening mammography rates in the United States (U.S.). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of social capital and screening mammography rates across 2,613 U.S. counties for 2014. We obtained county-level data on (1) screening mammography rates for female Medicare enrollees aged 67-69 years and (2) social capital (Penn State Social Capital Index). Multivariable regression models were used to evaluate associations between social capital quartiles and mammography screening rates. Models were adjusted for county-level socioeconomic, demographic, and access to care factors. Results: Average county-level screening mammography rates were 60.5% ± 8.3% (range 26%-88%). Across all U.S. counties, social capital was associated with county-level mammography rates, after adjusting for covariates (p <0.001). This association did not vary by urban-rural classification. In analyses by region, associations between social capital and screening mammography rates were strongest in the West region (p<0.001). Conclusions: In this nationwide study, social capital was significantly associated with screening mammography. Our findings suggest that there are regional variations in the association between social capital and mammography rates. The relationship between social capital and cancer screening behaviors warrants further investigation, particularly in the U.S. West. Citation Format: Tracy Huang, Christine Ekenga. Social capital and screening mammography rates in the United States [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 4795.

Social capital and changes of psychologic distress during early stage of COVID-19 in New orleans

Here we report on the relationship between measures of social capital, and their association with changes in self-reported measures of psychological distress during the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyze data from an existing cluster randomized control trial (the Healthy Neighborhoods Project) with 244 participants from New Orleans, Louisiana. Changes in self-reported scores between baseline (January 2019–March 2020) and participant’s second survey (March 20, 2020, and onwards) are calculated. Logistic regression is employed to examine the association between social capital indicators and measures of psychological distress adjusting for key covariates and controlling for residential clustering effects. Participants reporting higher than average scores for social capital indicators are significantly less likely to report increases in psychosocial distress between pre and during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who report higher than average sense of community were approximately 1.2 times less likely than those who report lower than average sense of community scores to experience increases in psychological distress before and during the global pandemic (OR 0.79; 95% CI 0.70,0.88, p ≤ 0.001), even after controlling for key covariates. Findings highlight the potentially important role that community social capital and related factors may play in the health of underrepresented populations during times of major stress. Specifically, the results suggest an important role of cognitive social capital and perceptions of community membership, belonging, and influence in buffering changes of mental health distress experienced during the initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic among a sample of residents.

Community social capital and self-rated health among older adults in urban China: the moderating roles of instrumental activities of daily living and smoking

Abstract Scholars have not yet explored the relationship between community social capital and self-rated health (SRH) among older adults in China in depth, including potential moderators in this relationship. In response to this gap, this study aimed to investigate the association between community social capital and SRH among urban Chinese older adults and the moderating roles of instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) and smoking. We used a quota sampling method to recruit 800 respondents aged 60 years and older from 20 communities in Shijiazhuang and Tianjin, China. SRH was used as the dependent variable. Binary logistic regression models with interaction terms were used to analyse the data. The results showed that trust (a cognitive social capital indicator), volunteering (a structural social capital indicator) and family social capital were significantly associated with SRH when controlling for other social capital indicators and covariates. Difficulties with IADL and smoking significantly moderated the association between community social capital and SRH. Cognitive social capital was only positively associated with SRH health among respondents who did not experience difficulty with IADLs. The positive association between citizenship activities and SRH was only significant among those who experienced difficulty with IADLs. The number of organisational memberships was negatively associated with SRH among respondents with a history of smoking. Volunteering was positively associated with SRH in respondents with a history of smoking. These findings highlight the important role of social capital in promoting SRH among older adults in urban areas of China and notably identify within-population heterogeneity in the associations between social capital and SRH. This study offers insights useful for developing social capital policies and interventions to meet the specific social needs of older adults with varied levels of difficulty with IADLs and health behaviours.

Social Capital and Voluntary Activities among Older Adults in Tehran

Introduction: Social capital encompasses material and spiritual resources which enable individuals to establish stable networks of institutionalized relationships. Participation in voluntary public service activities at the community level serves as an indicator of social capital. This study aims to assess social capital and voluntary activities among older adults living in Tehran in 2021.
 Methods: This cross-sectional study included 384 older adult citizens residing in Region 19, selected through random sampling. Data collection involved a standardized questionnaire comprising three sections: demographic information, measuringsocial capital, and voluntary activity assessment.
 Results: The study found that 99/7% of respondents had an average social capital score (150-75). Additionally, 99/4% of the respondents exhibited a high level of engagement in voluntary activities. A significant relationship was observed between social capital ,age (P≤0/001) ,and marital status (P≤0/001). However, no significant relationship was found between voluntary activity and demographic information.
 Conclusion: This study suggests that older adults in Tehran possess a reasonable level of social capital and engage actively in voluntary activities. To harness this potential, effective planning and policies must be implemented to align with the needs and goals of society.

Exploring key social capital indicators for disaster preparedness in rural disaster-prone areas: a boosted regression tree approach

Exploring key social capital indicators for disaster preparedness in rural disaster-prone areas: a boosted regression tree approach

Spatial analysis of social capital and community heterogeneity at the United States county level

Social capital, defined as the resources or benefits received through one's connections with others, contributes to economic efficiency, growth of communities, and population health. In 2006, Rupasingha et al. [1] developed a high-quality, US county-level social capital index based on individuals' participation in associational activities, trust, and civic engagement which is available for years 1990, 1997, 2005, 2009, and 2014. Since their introduction, such measures have been used in many ways, especially to investigate the association between social capital and community heterogeneity. Nevertheless, the non-stationary spatial nature of this relationship has rarely been considered. The purpose of this study was two-fold. (1) Based on the definition outlined by Rupasingha et al., and by using free, publicly available, and reliable data, we generated a 2019 US county-level measure of social capital that can be employed in contemporary studies. (2) We assess local spatial variations of social capital with non-stationary variables via a Geographically Weighted Regression which exhibited substantial improvements in model performance over the Ordinary Least-Squares model. Our findings contribute to literature linking social capital to economic growth of communities, which is essential for creating a sustainable future for business enterprises, communities, and society at large.

Revisiting the influence of community social capital indices on child maltreatment rates: The moderating effects of place

AbstractThe study of the antecedents of child maltreatment has advanced through ecological research, but there has been a limited focus on the role of community social capital. This study investigates the effects of community social capital on child maltreatment and how these associations differ by regional type, using data on child maltreatment rates in 226 localities in South Korea from 2014 to 2019. Surprisingly, our results show that social trust, networks, and engagement in community affairs are positively associated with child maltreatment rates. Additionally, the mechanisms of social capital effects on child maltreatment vary by place, being more pronounced in small‐ and medium‐sized cities and rural areas. Our findings suggest that a more nuanced understanding of social capital mechanisms across dimensions and locations is required to effectively address child maltreatment. This study contributes to both theory and practice by highlighting the importance of community social capital in preventing child maltreatment and demonstrating the contextual nature of these associations.

Het belang van taalkeuze voor het sociaal kapitaal in Nederland

This article focuses on how language choice and how the language (variety) spoken at home contributes to social capital in the Netherlands. Social capital is measured using 17 participation and trust indicators, based on a representative Dutch national survey on social cohesion and well-being among more than 7,500 people aged 15 years or older in 2019. Our study shows that if a dialect or the regional language Low Saxon is most often spoken at home, individuals’ trust level is lower, while participation is higher compared to the group that most often uses Dutch at home. Limburgish and Frisian are not related to trust and/or participation. Crucially, this study reveals that the social capital index overall is not related to language but the two parts of it: trust and participation.

Measurement Model of Social Capital, Entrepreneurial Orientation, Entrepreneurial Financing Choice and Performance in SMEs in West Sumatra

This research provides evidence of a measurement model, (confirmatory factor analysis--CFA) of performance, social capital, entrepreneurial orientation, and entrepreneurial financing choice of SMEs in West Sumatra in 2023. The purpose of this research is to test the accuracy of the measurement model on the data that has been collected. To answer this research question using a structural equation model (SEM). With a sample of 342 SMEs, it was found that the hypothesized model is valid and significant. The highest SL performance indicators are on the 2nd indicator with a value of 0.0972 and the lowest SL is on the 5th indicator with a value of 0.517. The Social capital indicators the highest SL is on the 7th indicator with a value of 0.905 and the lowest SL is on the 1st indicator with a value of 0.496. The highest SL entrepreneurial orientation indicators are on the 3rd indicator with a value of 0.876 and the lowest SL is on the 9th indicator with a value of 0.600. The Entrepreneurial financing choice indicators the highest SL is on the 4th indicator with a value of 0.962 and the lowest SL is on the 1st indicator with a value of 0.565.

Strengthening Resilient Built Environments through Human Social Capital: A Path to Post-COVID-19 Recovery

There are strong indications that the built environment has had a great influence on the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and the post-disaster recovery. The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected both human and global development, while efforts to combat this menace call for an integrated human social capital index. This research seeks to enhance understanding of how the built environment can be enhanced through resilience against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to investigate the impact of a resilient built environment on increasing resilience in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. The quantitative studies test the impact of four built environment resilience indices (built environment capital, disaster management indices, awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic, and built environment adaptive strategies) on human social capital and COVID-19 pandemic indices. This study reveals the role of human social capital in achieving a resilient built environment in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. Built environment capital, disaster management indices, and awareness of COVID-19 also indirectly affect the COVID-19 pandemic indices through human social capital. This study’s implications are useful for post-COVID-19 recovery, which is important for future planning of the built environment in Nigeria.

Livelihood benefits and challenges of Acacia decurrens-based agroforestry system in Awi Zone highlands, Northwest Ethiopia

ABSTRACT Acacia decurrens (hereafter Acacia) agroforestry system has been expanding rapidly in the northwestern highlands of Ethiopia. The agroforestry system provides multiple eco-environmental services; however, there is inadequate quantitative evidence on its livelihood benefits. This study, therefore, investigated the livelihood benefits and challenges of Acacia-based agroforestry system in the Awi area, Northwest Ethiopia. Data was collected through household survey quetionnaires (296 randomly selected Acacia growers), focused-group discussions, interviews, and observations. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods was used for the data analysis. The findings showed that crop production, charcoal making, animal rearing, and fuelwood selling were the major sources of livelihood. Notwithstanding the complex challenges (Acacia pests/diseases, traditional charcoal-making, limited road access and market opportunities, negative human-health impacts, and high production cost), Acacia-based agroforestry positively affected farmers livelihoods. Comparatively, the natural, physical, financial, human and social capital indices of farmers were higher by 0.25, 0.24, 0.43, 0.25, and 0.06, respectively, in the post-than pre-Acacia periods. The overall livelihood index of farmers increased from 0.47 (pre-Acacia) to 0.71 in the post-Acacia period. The study concluded that this agroforestry practice has immense livelihood benefits, although diverse challenges question its sustainability. Therefore, short and long-term strategies should be designed to strengthen the opportunities and address the challenges.

The relationship between neighborly social capital and health outcomes

Abstract Background There is increasing interest in understanding the relationship between social capital and undesirable health outcomes. Social capital theory suggests that better health outcomes may result from certain “neighborly” aspects of social capital. Methods This study used secondary data from the Social Capital Index. Bivariate correlations were calculated between neighborly social capital and health outcome variables. Next, neighborly social capital variables were entered as predictors of health outcomes in a series of stepwise regressions. Regional comparisons were conducted across four U.S. regions. Comparisons of the regression model structures were conducted by applying a model derived from one region to the data from another region and contrasting the resulting crossed R2 with the original direct R2 to identify differential regression weights across the four regions that warrant interpretation. Results The correlation and regression analyses showed significant negative relationships between three neighborly social capital variables (% who do favors for their neighbors, % who worked with neighbors to improve something, and % who trust all or most of their neighbors) and health outcomes including: % in fair/poor health, premature mortality rate, % diabetic, and % obese. In regional comparisons, only the South region had a direct and crossed R2 significantly different from other regions, with this difference largely attributable to an unexpected positive relationship between trusting neighbors and negative health outcomes in the South. Conclusions Interventions to increase neighborly social capital may help to alleviate negative health outcomes in the U.S. Anomalously, in the South, trusting neighbors may be related to worse health outcomes. Key messages • Being neighborly may enhance positive health outcomes in most parts of the U.S. • Strong social support impacts urban health.