Background Social capital theory is predominantly built around social networks, relationships, and functions of society. Social capital dimensions have been found to be inversely associated with depressive symptoms. This study aimed to investigate the association between cognitive and structural dimensions of social capital and depressive symptoms (outcome variable) at an epidemiological level. Methods Social capital consisted of cognitive (actual support, emotional support and generalized trust) and structural (taking care of family members) dimensions. Depressive symptoms were calculated using the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist- 15. Data used was derived from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, utilizing a sample of 46-year-old participants (N = 6522). The study used cross-sectional design. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to explore the association between these dimensions of social capital and depressive symptoms after adjusting for gender, education level, and marital status. Results Cognitive social capital variables were associated with depressive symptoms: those who received ‘not at all’ emotional or actual support from their partners were significantly more likely to exhibit depressive symptoms (odd ratios (OR) being 2.04 (95% CI = 1.57, 2.65) and 2.29 (95% CI = 1.76, 2.98), respectively) than those whose partners supported them a lot/quite a lot. Furthermore, those having extra low generalized trust had over 7-fold (OR = 7.55, 95% CI= 5.42, 10.53) increased risk of exhibiting depressive symptoms. Structural social capital was not associated with depressive symptoms. Conclusions A significant association between cognitive social capital and depressive symptoms was found, suggesting that social capital may play a significant role in the trajectory of depressive symptoms.

ABSTRACT This paper provides a novel perspective on bonding social capital and product innovativeness applied to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), drawing on a two-stage network mobilization perspective. Applying Hayes’ PROCESS analysis to survey data from a randomly drawn sample of 286 Czech SMEs, the findings show an indirect, contingent relationship between proxies for the structural, relational and cognitive dimensions of owners’ bonding social capital – including family involvement, owners’ trust, and owners’ collective orientation – and SME product innovativeness. Study results also support a moderated mediation model in which owners’ bridging behaviours (activities to access external social resources for the firm) mediate, and the firm’s mobilized social capital (using such resources) moderates this relationship. By doing so, the study sheds light on past contradictions regarding the effect of bonding social capital on product innovation. It also introduces a cross-level theoretical perspective of network mobilization in the SME context that considers owners’ group and firm-level social capital variables to predict product innovativeness. The findings highlight the importance of fostering social ties among SME owners and management and ensuring strategic use of external contacts to enhance firm innovativeness.

This study aims to analyze the influence of production factors, social capital, and socio-demographic on the productivity and welfare of farmers in Klampok Village, Kapas District, Bojonegoro Regency. Utilizing a quantitative method with a likert scale for measuring variables, the research employs Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) for data analysis. Data was collected from 52 respondents determined based on the total farming population in Klampok Village, ensuring statistical adequacy for analysis. The findings indicate that production factors, social capital, and socio-demographic variables significantly impact both the productivity and welfare of farmers. The highest mean value was found for experience variable, suggesting a high level of respondent agreement. Conversely, income variable recorded the lowest mean value but within a satisfactory range. The study contributes to the understanding of how these factors collectively enhance farmers' living standards, with productivity serving as a moderating variable in achieving welfare. The research underscores the importance of optimizing production factors, social capital, and demographic aspects through policy development and program implementation to improve farmers' welfare. The results are expected to inform policymakers, agricultural practitioners, and the community about the critical factors enhancing the livelihood of farmers, and program implementation to improve farmers' welfare. Keywords: Farmer’s Welfare, Production Factors, Productivity, Social Capital, Socio-Demographic Factors.

The article deals with public participation in two dimensions of local rural planning: development and spatial planning. The research consisted in determining, with the help of constructed indexes, the level of participation of rural residents in various planning processes and the factors that explain the variation in the level of participation. Spatial, demographic and social factors were examined, as well as the importance of location in different functional types of areas and historically diverse regions. The study analysed 148 municipalities selected from four regions of Poland for which data on the residents’ participation in 367 planning processes were obtained. Two types of documents were selected for the identification of factors differentiating the level of participation: local development strategies and land use plans. The level of residents’ involvement in strategic planning was not statistically related to demographic, spatial or even social capital variables. On the other hand, with regard to residents’ involvement in spatial planning, the relationships with demographics and the functional type of municipality are clearly visible, with the highest correlations of the level of participation with the level of education of the municipality’s residents and migration inflow.

Adult immunisation reduces the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) and prevents early mortality, reduces other health risks and healthcare costs. The study aims to explore the status of adult immunisation and the rural–urban difference in adult immunisation in India. The study used data from 68,463 young (18–44 years), middle-aged (45–59 years) and older adults (60 years and above) from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI)—wave 1 (2017–2018). Immunisation coverage was measured based on influenza vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine, hepatitis B vaccine, diphtheria and tetanus (dT) and any other vaccines. A set of socio-economic, demographic, social capital and health-related variables were considered to explore the determinants of adult immunisation. Bivariate analysis and logistic regression models were applied. Decomposition analysis was performed to investigate the rural–urban difference in adult immunisation. The results revealed that the adult immunisation coverage was lower in India, irrespective of rural and urban areas. Even with this lower coverage, rural areas had a statistically significant poor coverage in comparison to urban areas (6.56% vs 6.89%). Difference in educational attainment of the adult population and economic growth and development of the region [measured using state gross domestic product (GSDP) per capita data] were the major contributors to the rural–urban difference in adult immunisation. The study urges providing adult immunisation awareness programmes to the population and expanding the healthcare system, especially in rural areas, to improve adult immunisation coverage.

This study explores the relationship between social capital and the empowerment of beef cattle farming groups in North Minahasa Regency, Indonesia. The main objective is to examine how elements of social capital—particularly trust, proactive behavior, and shared norms—contribute to empowerment indicators such as accountability, access to information, and organizational capacity. A quantitative cross-sectional research design was employed, using structured questionnaires distributed to 30 randomly selected members of active beef cattle farming groups. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman Rank Correlation to measure relationships between social capital variables and empowerment indicators. Qualitative insights from interviews and observations were used to enrich and contextualize the quantitative findings. Results show that proactive action is strongly correlated with access to information (r = 0.854), trust is strongly linked to accountability (r = 0.837), and social norms are closely associated with group responsibility (r = 0.775). These findings suggest that internal social cohesion enhances governance, information-sharing, and collective performance. However, weaknesses in external networking and overdependence on informal structures may limit adaptability and long-term sustainability. The study proposes a three-part policy model: (1) trust-building mechanisms to enhance group accountability, (2) network enhancement strategies to strengthen external linkages, and (3) norm formalization to support internal governance. This model is tailored to the cultural and institutional context of North Minahasa and offers practical pathways for rural empowerment. This research contributes original insight by empirically linking specific social capital dimensions to empowerment in livestock systems, providing a contextualized framework that integrates socio-cultural dynamics with agricultural policy.

This study aimed to examine how access to and engagement with third places influence leisure-time physical activity and social capital among older adults. This study analyzed data from an online survey of 638 older adults aged 65 and above residing in Orlando, Florida, recruited through community collaborations, social media campaigns, and public outreach. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression was used to examine the relationships between third-place accessibility, perceived built environments, and the dependent variables of leisure-time physical activity and social capital. A greater distance to the nearest third place was negatively associated with leisure-time physical activity, but not with social capital. The availability of third places within walking distance and the ease of walking access to third places positively influenced both outcomes. Engagement with third places was a significant factor for both leisure-time physical activity and social capital. Additionally, the availability and condition of sidewalks were significantly linked to leisure-time physical activity but showed no relationship with social capital. This study underscores the importance of third places in promoting leisure-time physical activity and social capital among older adults. The findings inform the design of age-friendly environments that support active lifestyles and foster social engagement.

BackgroundWith the global increase in the number of older adults and single-person households, attention is increasingly being directed toward older adults living alone as a vulnerable population in public health. These individuals are particularly susceptible to deficiencies in social capital, one of the key social determinants of health. However, research on the relationship between social capital and oral health among older adults living alone remains limited. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the factors associated with oral health in this population, with a specific focus on social capital.MethodsThis study analyzed data from the Korean Community Health Survey, 2023, focusing on 21,677 older adults aged 65 and over living alone. The dependent variable was subjective oral health level, while independent variables included social capital factors such as trust, reciprocity, social network, and social participation. Hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship between social capital and subjective oral health levels, with results presented as odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.ResultsOlder adults aged 65 and over living alone were found to be particularly vulnerable to poor subjective oral health, especially those with older age, lower educational attainment, lower income levels, lack of economic activity, and residence in rural areas. Among the social capital variables, the analysis showed that individuals without reciprocity had 1.30 times higher odds of worse subjective oral health compared to those with reciprocity (OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.18–1.42). Similarly, individuals without social participation had 1.31 times higher odds of worse subjective oral health compared to those with social participation (OR = 1.31, 95% CI 1.21–1.42).ConclusionsSocial capital is significantly associated with the subjective oral health levels of older adults aged 65 and over living alone. This emphasizes the importance of enhancing social capital to mitigate oral health inequalities among socially vulnerable older adults living alone.

Social capital has received increased attention as a potential influence on the development of youth. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to examine the role of school social capital in promoting physical activity among secondary school students in Croatia. The sample included 317 adolescents (M=212; F=105) who were in their final year of secondary school from the four largest cities in the Republic of Croatia: Zagreb, Split, Osijek, and Rijeka. Participants were aged between 17 and 20 years (18.24 ±0.58). Data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of three sections, carefully designed to cover all relevant aspects of the research. The relationship between physical activity and social capital was examined using logistic regression analysis. The level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05. The analysis reveals that participation in extracurricular or organized school activities is a statistically significant factor (p=0.01) that positively influences students' engagement in physical activity. Other variables of school social capital, including teacher-student interpersonal trust, students' interpersonal trust, students' collaboration, teachers' support, and students' relationships outside of school, did not show significant effects (p>0.05). In summary, these results suggest that students' participation in extracurricular or school activities can play a beneficial role in enhancing physical activity among adolescents. This is likely because such activities allow students to choose those they enjoy, which increases their motivation to engage. Additionally, participating in these activities often leads to improved relationships with others, as students connect with peers who share similar interests, further promoting an active and supportive environment.

This research aims to determine the influence of social environment, business capital, and entrepreneurial knowledge on entrepreneurial interest in the community of Ayula Timur Village, Bone Bolango Regency, Gorontalo Province. This research employs a quantitative approach using a survey research method. The primary data used were collected through a questionnaire distributed to the residents of Ayula Timur Village. The sample comprises 64 respondents: farmers, plantation workers, livestock breeders, civil servants, entrepreneurs, and laborers. The data analysis technique employs multiple linear regression, assisted by the SPSS program. The results indicate that simultaneously, the variables of social environment, business capital, and entrepreneurial knowledge significantly influence entrepreneurial interest, with a significance value of 0.000. Partial testing results show that social environment, business capital, and entrepreneurial knowledge each positively influence entrepreneurial interest. The coefficient of determination (R-square) is 0.373 or 37.3%, meaning that the three independent variables collectively influence the dependent variable (entrepreneurial interest). In contrast, other factors outside the studied model influence the remaining 62.7%.

This study is intended to test and analyze the influence of Social Capital, Creativity and Innovation on Business Sustainability. The population in this study are business actors on the scale of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Garut Regency. This type of research is quantitative research with a descriptive approach. The sample used in this study was 400 respondents who were distributed to respondents and then processed using SPSS statistic 25 using simple random sampling techniques. The analytical tools used in this study were multiple linear regression, data quality test of determination coefficient and hypothesis test. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of Social Capital, Creativity, and Innovation on the Sustainability of MSME Businesses in Garut Regency. The results of the study stated that the Social Capital Variable has a positive and significant influence of 52.7% on business sustainability. The Creativity Variable has a positive and significant influence of 50.5% on business sustainability. The Innovation Variable has a positive and significant influence of 32.4% on business sustainability. The variables of Social Capital, Creativity and Innovation have a positive and significant influence of 63.1% on business sustainability. While the remaining 36.9% is influenced by other variables not mentioned in this research model.

This study investigates factors that encourage and discourage women entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia. The research uses the Adult Population Survey (APS) and analysed data collected from 1,305 women. Findings show that perceived capability, opportunity perception, risk perception, social network and informal investment significantly influence women’s propensity to entrepreneurship. However, the entrepreneurial propensity of women who have financed others’ businesses is negative. This study highlights the need for entrepreneurship researchers to examine factors that mobilize and inhibit entrepreneurial initiatives among women and study cognitive and social capital variables in an integrated framework.

This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the moderating role of social capital in the relationship between income and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among pregnant women. The study was conducted using a random sample of pregnant women registered with the public health system in southern Brazil. Women with sensory or cognitive impairments, non-Brazilian nationality, or high-risk pregnancies were excluded. The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) was used to assess OHRQoL. Social capital was evaluated through “perceived social support” and “pregnancy group attendance.” The monthly household income was assessed in Brazilian Reais and categorized as either high (≥ 1,000 BRL) or low (< 1,000 BRL). The moderating role of social capital on the relationship between income and OHRQoL was tested using multilevel Poisson regression analysis. The results are presented as rate ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). A total of 520 pregnant women were assessed, with a response rate of 93%. Approximately 25.6% had low income. Both social capital variables demonstrated a moderating effect on the relationship between income and OHRQoL. Among pregnant women with a low household income, those without social support and those who did not attend pregnancy groups had 44% (RR = 1.44, 95%CI: 1.22–1.72) and 22% (RR = 1.22, 95%CI: 1.05–1.42) higher overall OHIP-14 scores, respectively, compared to their counterparts. This means that social support and group attendance substantially mitigate the negative effects of low income on OHRQoL. Our findings highlight the potential role of social capital promotion in this population.

Abstract The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has presented numerous challenges to older adults in Canada, including the ability to engage in volunteer work. This situation has created a new volunteer landscape in which common predictors of volunteering may have shifted. The purpose of this study is to improve understanding of the current social context surrounding volunteering in Canada, by a) determining changes in the associations between human, social, and cultural capital variables and volunteering among older adults and b) examining the potential relationship between ethnic minority background and volunteering among older adults, using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), collected prior to and during the pandemic. This study utilized data from 24,306 participants (aged 55+) who participated in the CLSA Baseline, Follow-up 1 and the COVID-19 Study Baseline surveys. Results confirm a decrease in volunteering among CLSA participants during the early stages of the pandemic. When compared to pre-pandemic associations, volunteers during the early stages of the pandemic were more likely to be young-old (55-64), male, employed, and not involved in religious activities. Findings provide evidence of pandemic effects on volunteering among older adults in Canada.

Social capital is an important construct in diverse scientific disciplines for understanding health promotion, entrepreneurship, and economic growth. In an increasingly digitalized world, social capital can be established and used in both online and offline contexts. Previous research suggests that personality might be relevant to an understanding of individual differences in social capital. For instance, the literature suggests that extraversion is associated with more social capital. Against this background, the present study aimed to revisit social capital research, but with a broader focus on studying all Big Five Personality traits (assessed with the BFI-45) and their association with bonding (similarity-based relationships), bridging (diversity-based relationships) social capital dimensions, and well-being. Insights in social capital variables in offline and online areas were obtained via the Internet Social Capital Scale and well-being was assessed with Diener’s Satisfaction with Life scale. In particular, the study aimed to understand if personality-well-being associations would emerge with online/offline social capital being a mediator. The questionnaires were filled in by n = 289 German speaking participants (73 males and 216 females). The results revealed that offline social capital in the form of bridging and bonding played a significant role in mediating the relationship between both agreeableness and extraversion with life satisfaction. Online social capital was not associated with life satisfaction and was only very weakly linked to some Big Five Personality traits. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that offline social capital is very relevant for well-being, while online social capital shows no association with self-reported well-being levels and seems to be negligible for an understanding of well-being.

Problems with the community regarding the use of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) in national park areas are one of the debates that are often faced, including in the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park. The effectiveness of implementing forestry partnerships based on the perspective of the community as permit holders is something that must be done to resolve this problem. A person's perspective based on their perceptions is usually influenced by demographics and social capital, so it is necessary to know whether both have an influence on forestry partnership programs. Many studies have proven that, in particular, the success of forest management with the community cannot be separated from the contribution of social capital, especially through the variables of trust, social norms and existing social networks. So far, there has been a lot of research on forestry partnerships in national parks that has been linked to the success of increasing production, but still very little has been linked to the characteristics and social aspects of the community. Based on this, the aim of this research is to analyze the role of social capital in the implementation of forestry partnerships in the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park. The research was conducted in July 2023 with a sample of 95 respondents who were members of the partnership program. Data analysis through hypothesis testing Partial Least Square- Structural Equation Model (Second Order) using Smart PLS.4.0 software. The results of hypothesis testing show that social capital variables (trust, norms/values, and networks) influence partnership members to participate in the program. The level of social capital owned by the community shows the level of trust from both internal and external groups, the level of compliance with the rules and the level of motivation to build a stronger marketing network by involving the roles of the parties.

The level of satisfaction of individuals within a community sharing a common pool resource is essential to strengthening collective actions. In the case of irrigation water, which is becoming a critical resource due to its declining availability in many regions worldwide, the satisfaction level in Water User Associations (WUAs) is not guaranteed and also varies across individuals within these organizations. This study analyzed the satisfaction of users in WUAs and identified organization- and user-level characteristics associated with it. Using a sample of 393 users of 20 WUAs from the Mediterranean portion of Chile, we performed confirmatory factor analysis, correlational analyses, and multilevel regressions. A composite indicator of user satisfaction showed significant correlations with the positive evaluation of the WUA staff performance, the effectiveness of monitoring and enforcement, and the confidence that other users do not withdraw more water than they are allocated. We also compared users’ satisfaction levels from WUAs facing higher and lower water scarcity problems and found that user satisfaction is significantly higher in the latter case. The results of the multilevel econometric models show that in WUAs under higher water scarcity, user satisfaction is affected by several structural characteristics (water withdrawal mechanism and location along the canal) and users' human and social capital variables (experience, education, and participation in organizations); in contrast, in WUAs with a low level of scarcity, few covariates were significant while unobserved characteristics became more relevant (34 % of total variance explanation). Our study contributes to the existing literature on user satisfaction in community resource management, which could be useful to promote effective and cohesive governance structures as, ultimately, users determine cooperation rates and willingness to participate in WUA actions.

Spatial econometric analysis of the digital divide in Thailand at the sub-district level: Patterns and determinants

Abstract This study analyzes the problem factors affecting Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) performance with social capital variables. The problems are related to developing MSMEs’ financial and non-financial performance and are considered inseparable from various internal and external influences. This research is a quantitative-qualitative research with primary data. The utilization of questionnaires and interviews as methods for data collection. The data analysis technique used was a statistical analysis based on partial least squares (PLS). The study’s results found that internal and external factors had a significant positive effect on the financial performance of MSMEs. The E-commerce factors and social capital significantly positively affected the financial performance of MSMEs. However, the colonial capital did not strengthen the relationship between internal variables, external, and E-commerce on the financial performance of MSMEs.

Disaster recovery depends heavily on the support of social networks and the resources they can generate. Yet such support is difficult to measure and assess. This paper reviews existing quantitative approaches to measure social capital within a disaster context. The article addresses (1) how is social capital conceptualized in the disaster literature? and (2) what social capital measures have been used based on existing conceptual frameworks (e.g., bonding, bridging, and linking)? We review how social capital has been defined and what properties of social capital make it important in the disaster planning contexts. Then we explore and assess existing approaches used to measure social capital while offering suggestions for potential improvements. These potential improvements to social capital indices will capture and measure social capital in a more comprehensive way and have a more solid theoretical basis based on the social capital and disaster resilience literature. Each type of social capital is expected to have different consequences and effects on disaster planning processes and phases; therefore, it is important to distinguish and measure social capital variables in a holistic way for policymakers and practitioners to make use of social capital information in preparing for disasters.