Types Of Support Networks Research Articles

Construct Validation of Wenger’s Support Network Typology

The study aimed to validate Wenger's empirically derived support network typology of responses to the Practitioner Assessment of Network Type (PANT) in an older New Zealander population. The configuration of network types was tested across ethnic groups and in the total sample. Data (N = 872, Mage = 67 years, SDage = 1.56 years) from the 2006 wave of the New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement study were analyzed using latent profile analysis. In addition, demographic differences among the emerging profiles were tested. Competing models were evaluated based on a range of fit criteria, which supported a five-profile solution. The "locally integrated," "community-focused," "local self-contained," "private-restricted," and "friend- and family-dependent" network types were identified as latent profiles underlying the data. There were no differences between Māori and non-Māori in final profile configurations. However, Māori were more likely to report integrated network types. Findings confirm the validity of Wenger's network types. However, the level to which participants endorse accessibility of family, frequency of interactions, and community engagement can be influenced by sample and contextual characteristics. Future research using the PANT items should empirically verify and derive the social support network types, rather than use a predefined scoring system.

The Role of Status Differentials and Homophily in the Formation of Social Support Networks of a Voluntary Organization

Given the important implications of social support on managing volunteers and their organizational commitment, we investigated how members of a Korean immigrant church ( N = 178) exchanged two distinctive kinds of social support (i.e., informational and tangible). We used theories of centrality and homophily to hypothesize patterns of social connections among organizational members. Employing exponential random graph modeling (ERGM), the current study estimated the likelihood of age and gender homophily/heterophily in forming supportive ties while considering structural parameters. The results of analysis of variance showed that members with higher socioeconomic status and in official staff positions in the church were more central in the informational support exchange. However, ERGM for both types of support networks did not show hypothesized gender and age homophily/heterophily of Korean immigrants’ support exchange, suggesting the importance of other potential organizational and cultural influences. The findings shed light on the internal structuring of organizational support networks and suggest practical implications for managing organizational volunteers.

Abstract A21: Exploring the social networks of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients

Abstract Background: Minority women in the United States continue to experience inferior breast cancer outcomes compared with white women, in part due to delays in care delivery. Emerging cancer care delivery models such as patient navigation focus on the social causes of disparities, but evidence demonstrating how these interventions increase social support is lacking. Social network analysis provides a method to understand the complex social dynamics that contribute to better cancer outcomes. The purpose of this pilot study is to describe the social networks of newly-diagnosed breast cancer patients and explore the contributing role of patient navigators to those networks. Methods: This descriptive pilot study explores the social networks of newly-diagnosed cancer patients enrolled in an active RCT comparing standard patient navigation versus patient navigation enhanced by legal advocacy. Eligible women were enrolled in the parent RCT, spoke English or Spanish, and agreed to complete the interview 3-7 months post-diagnosis. A convenience sample of 25 women was recruited to participate in a one hour interview to elicit information about their social networks related to cancer care support. Preliminary analysis visualized network structures to qualitatively identify patterns of network support (network types) and characterize the contributing role of types of support received (i.e. emotional and moral support, household help, access to resources). Secondly, network metrics (centrality, density, diversity, and knowledge exclusivity) were produced to quantify important structural attributes, influential individuals and critical types of supports. Comparisons using ANOVA identified potential differences between network types based on social network metrics. Results: Participants had a mean age of 56.9 years (40-80). Forty six percent were Black, 21% White, 21% Hispanic and 12% Other. Three distinct network types were qualitatively identified: 1) Networks with predominantly kinship ties; 2) Networks with predominantly role-based and affective ties (i.e. health care workers and friends); and 3) Heterogeneous networks with multiple tie types. Examining network metrics in relation to network types indicated that role/affect-based networks were characterized by patients who had higher betweenness centrality, compared to kinship networks (p<0.05), indicating patients played a key role in connecting other network members. No other network-level metric was significantly associated with network type. In terms of types of support received, 21 of 24 networks had moral and emotional support holding the highest degree centrality (mean=0.743, SD=0.13), suggesting sampled patients received emotional/moral support from many sources. Patient navigators were identified in 6 of the 24 networks, despite all patients being assigned a patient navigator. In 4 of the 6 networks in which navigators were identified, they held the highest knowledge exclusivity, indicating that navigators provided types of support not found elsewhere in patient social networks. Conclusions: Emotional and moral support is provided to cancer patients from many sources within their social networks. Among patients who identified navigators within their network, we found that they were able to provide distinctive support not found elsewhere in the network, suggesting they play a crucial role in the delivery of cancer care aimed at reducing disparities. Services and systems that identify and address deficits in specific types of support in patient social networks should be explored for their potential to reduce cancer health disparities. Citation Format: Christine M. Gunn, Sharon M. Bak, Tracy A. Battaglia, Naomi Ko, Vanesa Noel, Victoria A. Parker. Exploring the social networks of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eighth AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 13-16, 2015; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2016;25(3 Suppl):Abstract nr A21.

Characteristics and Risk Factors of Chinese Immigrant Intimate Partner Violence Victims in New York City and the Role of Supportive Social Networks

This study identified the characteristics and risk factors of Chinese immigrant intimate partner violence (IPV) victims and their offenders through a case study of 189 IPV victims who sought help from a Chinese community organization in Queens, New York City called “Garden of Hope.” A descriptive analysis was conducted on socioeconomic status (SES), support network as well as history of substance abuse problems and childhood abuse. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to understand the role of different types of social support networks on the level of abuse. Overall, the risk factors which were identified by other researchers could be found in Chinese immigrant populations. However, higher SES—in particular employment status and educational level—does not help victims escape from IPV, and not all types of social networks played a positive role in preventing further victimization among Chinese immigrant populations.

Absence of Support Networks and Welfare Systems*

ObjectiveThis article empirically examines the causal relationships among individuals who do not ask for assistance and the welfare systems involved. We analyze the following questions: Who does not seek assistance? What is the probability of identifying someone who does not seek assistance in different welfare systems? and What role does the system play in influencing someone not to seek assistance?MethodsWe use a rare events logit model that indicates the influence of various types of welfare systems and support networks on the circumstances in which support is not requested. Data came from the 2001 ISSP.ResultsThe results indicate that people who do not request assistance have small or nonexistent support networks and therefore no one from which to seek help.ConclusionThis analysis confirmed the importance of the cultural contexts of welfare systems and how they influence the behavior of those who do not seek support.

Coeliac disease: the association between quality of life and social support network participation.

There is little information available on the use of social support systems for patients with coeliac disease (CD). We performed a cross-sectional study aiming to examine the association between participation in different types of social support networks and quality of life (QOL) in adults with CD. A survey including a validated CD specific QOL instrument was administered online and in-person to adults with CD who were following a gluten-free diet. Participation in social support networks (type, frequency and duration) were assessed. Among the 2138 participants, overall QOL scores were high, averaging 68.9 out of 100. Significant differences in QOL scores were found for age, length of time since diagnosis and level of education. Most (58%) reported using no social support networks. Of the 42% reporting use of social support networks (online 17.9%, face-to-face 10.8% or both 12.8%), QOL scores were higher for those individuals who used only face-to-face social support compared to only online support (72.6 versus 66.7; P < 0.0001). A longer duration of face-to-face social support use was associated with higher QOL scores (P < 0.0005). By contrast, a longer duration and increased frequency of online social support use was associated with lower QOL scores (P < 0.03). Participation in face-to-face social support networks is associated with greater QOL scores compared to online social support networks. These findings have potential implications for the management of individuals with CD. Emphasis on face-to-face support may improve long-term QOL and patient outcomes.

Mobile phone communication in social support networks of older adults in Slovenia

Mobile phones have gained an important role in the personal communication of older adults with the members of their social support networks. Research shows that older adults increasingly use the mobile phone for maintenance and development of social interactions with their family members, peers, and caregivers as providers of emotional support and social companionship. Therefore, this study explores how retired older adults in Slovenia use mobile phones as personal devices for supportive communication as well as how the characteristics of their social support networks are related to the frequency of mobile phone communication with their network members. Using ego-centered social support network data, collected on a nationwide representative sample of retired older adults in Slovenia, this study found that the composition of emotional support and of social companionship networks scarcely predicts the frequency of mobile phone communication of older adults with their network members. Conversely, according to the results, it seems that more frequent in-person and landline phone communication with network members are positively associated with mobile phone communication, suggesting that older adults extend their communication sphere with a mobile phone in their support networks. Finally, the results indicate that sociodemographic characteristics of older adults, such as age, social-economic status, and living alone, significantly determine the frequency of mobile communication with their network members, even though their magnitude varies depending on the type of social support network.

The effects of cohousing on the social housing system: the case of the Threshold Centre

This work aims to assess whether cohousing communities might generate positive effects in terms of social housing. Cohousing projects are “supportive” communities where many types of informal support networks arise, referring to the concept of sharing spaces, facilities, but also properties, the decision-making process, and experiences. The costs of the sites and construction are often higher than a “normal condominium” (especially if they are resident-led communities), and sometimes, they might be responsible for the failure of the groups: inhabitants of those communities born spontaneously, without any kind of public aid, are mainly from a medium–high socio-economic status. However, in the UK, where cohousing follows mainly a grassroots model, some communities are able to keep the costs down, in particular by the creation of mixed tenure systems, collaboration with Housing Associations and self-building processes. The Threshold Centre in England allocates 50 % of the residential units for social housing. The collaboration with a Housing Association produced a “good housing” model, which allowed both a reduction in construction time and a guarantee of the creation of a heterogeneous group (but with a compact identity), as well as the inclusion of socio-economically vulnerable people.

Gendered Access to Formal and Informal Resources in Postdisaster Development in the Ecuadorian Andes

The devastating eruptions of Mount Tungurahua in the Ecuadorian highlands in 1999 and 2006 left many communities struggling to rebuild their homes and others permanently displaced to settlements built by state and nongovernmental organizations. For several years afterward, households diversified their economic strategies to compensate for losses, communities organized to promote local development, and the state and nongovernmental organizations sponsored many economic recovery programs in the affected communities. Our study examined the ways in which gender and gender roles were associated with different levels and paths of access to scarce resources in these communities. Specifically, this article contrasts the experiences of men and women in accessing household necessities and project assistance through formal institutions and informal networks. We found that women and men used different types of informal social support networks, with men receiving significantly more material, emotional, and informational support than women. We also found that men and women experienced different challenges and advantages when pursuing support through local and extralocal institutions and that these institutions often coordinated in ways that reified their biases. We present a methodology that is replicable in a wide variety of disaster, resettlement, and development settings, and we advocate an inductive, evidence-based approach to policy, built upon an understanding of local gender, class, and ethnic dynamics affecting access to formal and informal resources. This evidence should be used to build more robust local institutions that can resist wider social and cultural pressures for male dominance and gendered exclusion.

A social net? Internet and social media use during unemployment

Many people who are unemployed tend to experience forms of psychological and social losses, including a weakened time structure, diminished social contacts, an absence of collective purpose, falling status, and inactivity. This article focuses on the experience of diminished social contacts and addresses whether social media help the unemployed maintain their relationships. Based on qualitative interviews with unemployed individuals, the article identifies various types of social support networks and their impact on individual experiences of inclusion and exclusion. Although the unemployed use social media to cultivate their social support networks, the opportunity to establish new contacts, both private and professional, is underutilized. Thus, social network differentiation between the unemployed and employed persists online in social media.

Weight loss social support in 140 characters or less: use of an online social network in a remotely delivered weight loss intervention

Little is known about how online social networking can help enhance weight loss. To examine the types of online social support utilized in a behavioral weight loss intervention and relationship of posting and weight loss. A sub-analysis of the content and number of posts to Twitter among participants (n = 47) randomized to a mobile, social network arm as part of a 6-month trial among overweight adults, examining weight loss, use of Twitter, and type of social support (informational, tangible assistance, esteem, network, and emotional support). A number of Twitter posts were related to % weight loss at 6months (p < 0.001). Initial reported weight loss predicted engagement with Twitter (p < 0.01) but prior Twitter use or initial Twitter engagement did not. Most Twitter posts (total posts n = 2,630) were Informational support (n = 1,981; 75%), with the predominant subtype of Teaching (n = 1,632; 62%), mainly in the form of a status update (n = 1,319). Engagement with Twitter was related to weight loss and participants mainly used Twitter to provide Information support to one another through status updates.

Social support network structure in older people: Underlying dimensions and association with psychological and physical health

Social networks have been associated with a wide variety of health outcomes in older people. We examined the dimensions underlying the Wenger social support network type assessment to identify dimensions associated with mental and physical health. We interviewed 1334 community-dwelling participants aged 65+. The Geriatric Mental State automated geriatric examination for computer-assisted taxonomy interview was used to rate psychiatric symptoms and quality of life. Cognitive impairment was defined as a score of <24 on the mini mental state examination. Clustering around latent variables identified two uncorrelated social support network domains: family (distance from and contact with relatives) and social engagement. Social engagement was associated with a lower age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of depression (odds ratio for a one-tertile increase 0.48), generalised anxiety disorder (OR 0.60), cognitive impairment (OR 0.68) and physical disability (OR 0.62) all p < 0.001. Adjusted for age, sex, depression, cognitive impairment and disability, the social engagement domain was also associated with better quality of life (OR 1.5) self-rated happiness (OR 1.3) and rating life as worth living (OR 1.4). The family domain, on the other hand, was not significantly associated with any health outcome. The results suggest that elective relationships and social engagement are the ‘active ingredients’ of social networks which promote health in later life.

Satisfaction with services among people with progressive neurological illnesses and their carers in Australia

The current study investigated the types of support networks and services accessed by people with progressive neurological illness, as well as the assessment of the usefulness of these services. The participants were 25 people with multiple sclerosis, 15 people with motor neurone disease, 23 people with Parkinson's disease, and six people with Huntington's disease. Twenty-eight professionals who worked with people with these illnesses and 41 carers of people with these illnesses also were interviewed. The results demonstrate that all of the groups of respondents indicated a strong need for basic services (e.g. home help), as well as specialized services (e.g. support groups). These two services also were identified as the most useful services by all of the groups of respondents. The similarities and differences between the groups, as well as the patients and carers, are examined. These findings demonstrate the importance of providing basic services for people with progressive neurological illnesses.

Perceptions of the process of care among caregivers and care recipients in dementia care networks.

The Dementia Care Networks Study investigated 4 community-based, not-for-profit dementia care networks in Ontario, Canada. Investigators examined whether sociodemographic and health characteristics, type of support network, and amount of service use among care recipients and caregivers (n = 267 dyads) were associated with experiences with care processes. The process-of-care constructs were: family physicians' awareness of services; experiences with health care workers, and assessment and placement activities. The findings highlighted that family physicians' understanding of dementia and their ability to work with the dyad to become aware of and accept services, was an important component in the dyad's satisfaction. If caregivers received home support and the care recipients received emotional support from their social support network, they were more likely to be satisfied with their experiences with health care workers. In summary, increased awareness and provision of services were associated with more positive perceptions of network effectiveness.

The Relationship Between Type and Quality of Social Support and HIV Medication Adherence

In the last 10 years HIV has become a disease that can be effectively managed using antiretroviral medications. However, many factors affect adherence, including demographics, income, housing, mental health issues, and access to health care, as well as types and quality of social support. This paper summarizes results regarding specific sources of social support that are part of a larger, randomized study of medication adherence among people with HIV/AIDS. Results summarize findings from 98 program participants and include information regarding support from partners, family and health care providers, as well as the impact of support from these sources on medication adherence. Among participants in this study, those with higher levels of social support from partners demonstrated higher rates of medication adherence. Those who received more social support from their families, however, reported significantly lower adherence rates. These results suggest that efforts to improve medication adherence need to address the diverse types of social support networks of people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

Diabetes Care in an Urban Specialty Clinic

In Brief Interpersonal health communication can affect individuals'awareness, knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, skills, and commitment to behavior change. Personalizing and involving people in their own care facilitates sustained behavior change. Health communication cannot compensate for inadequate health care or inadequate access to health care services nor produce sustained change in complex health behaviors without some type of support network. Health care providers working with people who have limited resources and education sometimes make the erroneous assumption that these individuals cannot adequately comprehend self-care practice recommendations.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of High Versus Low Intensity Weight Training Versus General Practitioner Care for Clinical Depression in Older Adults

Although exercise has been shown to relieve depression, little is known about its mechanism or dose-response characteristics. We hypothesized that high intensity progressive resistance training (PRT) would be more effective than either low intensity PRT or standard care by a general practitioner (GP) in depressed elderly persons, and that high intensity PRT would provide superior benefits in quality of life, sleep quality, and self-efficacy. Sixty community-dwelling adults >60 years with major or minor depression were randomized to supervised high intensity PRT (80% maximum load) or low intensity PRT (20% maximum load) 3 days per week for 8 weeks, or GP care. A 50% reduction in the Hamilton Rating Scale of Depression score was achieved in 61% of the high intensity, 29% of the low intensity, and 21% of the GP care group (p =.03). Strength gain was directly associated with reduction in depressive symptoms (r = 0.40, p =.004), as was baseline social support network type (F = 3.52, p =.015), whereas personality type, self-efficacy, and locus of control were unrelated to the antidepressant effect. Vitality quality-of-life scale improved more in the high intensity group than in the others (p =.04). Sleep quality improved significantly in all participants (p <.0001), with the greatest relative change in high intensity PRT (p =.05). High intensity PRT is more effective than is low intensity PRT or GP care for the treatment of older depressed patients.

Social networks, ethnicity and public home-care utilisation

This article examines the relationships between support networks, ethnicity and the utilisation of formal care services, taking into account background characteristics and functional health status among 3,403 older people in Israel. Data were drawn from a national survey in 1997 of people aged 60 or more years. The outcome variable was the use of publicly-financed personal care or homemaking services. About 15 per cent of the study population made use of such home care. Six informal support network constellations were identified by applying cluster analysis to key criterion variables that reflect the inter-personal milieu. The resultant network types were: community-clan, family-focused, diverse, friend-focused, neighbour-focused, and restricted networks. Binary logistic regression revealed that the use of formal home-care services was significantly associated with a respondent's age, gender, functional level and informal support network type (Nagelkerke R2=0.39). No association was found between home-care utilisation and a respondent's ethnicity (Arab, Jew, and new Russian immigrant), income or education. The results show that publicly-financed formal care services were utilised more frequently by older-old persons, women, functionally impaired individuals and people embedded in the neighbour-focused and restricted networks (and to a lesser degree, in the diverse and friend-focused networks). Neighbour-focused and restricted network types were characterised by fewer informal support resources at their disposal than the other types. Thus, formal home care was sought more often in cases in which the informal sources of support had less capacity to provide ongoing informal care.

Parenting stress and social support in hearing mothers of deaf and hearing children: a longitudinal study.

This longitudinal study investigated the impact of child deafness on mothers' stress, size of social networks, and satisfaction with social support. Twenty-three hearing mothers of deaf children and 23 hearing mothers of hearing children completed a series of self-report questionnaires when their children were 22 months, 3, and 4 years old. When children were 22 months, more mothers of deaf children reported pessimism about their children's achieving self-sufficiency and concerns about their children's communication abilities than did mothers of hearing children. When their children were 3 and 4 years old, mothers of deaf and hearing children did not differ in their reports of general parenting stress, as measured by the Parenting Stress Index (PSI). Likewise, mothers' ratings of satisfaction with social support were not affected by child deafness, nor did they change developmentally. Mothers of deaf and hearing children did differ in the types of support networks utilized. Mothers of deaf 22-month-olds reported significantly larger professional support networks, while mothers of hearing children reported significantly larger general support networks across all child ages. Mothers' feelings of stress and satisfaction with social support were very stable across the 2 years examined. The results suggest that most mothers of deaf children do not feel a high level of general parenting stress or dissatisfaction with their lives and support networks. However, mothers of deaf children are likely to feel stress in areas specific to deafness. In addition, because parenting stress was highly stable, special efforts should be made to intervene when mothers of deaf children are expressing high levels of stress.

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Aguricultural newcomers from non-agricultural sectors face various difficulties when settling in rural communities. This paper focuses on the existence of “buddies” in these communities and examines the support network for aguricultural newcomers in “K” town in Hokkaido. The support policy of “K” town for aguricultural newcomers was decided in 1994. It is a very comprehensive policy and had already benefited 7 aguricultural newcomers by the year 2000. This paper examines the feedback from the 7 aguricultural newcomers who have already begun farming in “K” town. Through looking at social support gained by the newcomers, the author extracts two types of networking for obtaining social support. The first is a way to form a support network through the “gurdian system”, whereby a “guardian” takes care of the newcomer in the broad dimensions of everyday-life, from agriculture to social life. Guardians are often farm managers who take charge of training newcomers. The other type is pro-active voluntary network formation, whereby the newcomer takes the initiative to approach a particular person to fullfill a certain type of support need. The former type utilizes cumulative rural relations and allows newcomers to adapt easily to the way of life in rural communities. This paper points out both the advantages and disadvantages in forming this type of support network.