Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, Vol 54, Issue 3 S162-S172, Copyright © 1999 by The Gerontological Society of America

ARTICLES

Social networks and disability transitions across eight intervals of yearly data in the New Haven EPESE

CF Mendes de Leon, TA Glass, LA Beckett, TE Seeman, DA Evans and LF Berkman
Rush Institute for Healthy Aging, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, USA. [email protected]

OBJECTIVES: There is considerable evidence that social networks are strongly related to survival and other health outcomes. However, findings regarding the effect of social networks on disability outcomes have been inconsistent. This study examines this relationship with respect to the risk of developing disability and recovering from disability. METHODS: Data come from a community-based sample of the New Haven population aged 65 years and older, with nine annual interviews conducted between 1982 and 1991. Disability was measured by a 6-item index of activities of daily living (ADL), and a 3-item Rosow-Breslau index, with disability defined as impairment in one or more tasks on each measure. Social network variables were constructed for each of four domains of ties: children, relatives, friends, and a confidant, and a summary measure of total social networks. A Markov model was used to estimate one-year disability transitions averaged across all 8 intervals, after controlling for sociodemographic and health-related variables. RESULTS: Total social networks was associated with a significantly reduced risk of developing ADL disability (beta = -0.009, p < .01), and a significantly increased likelihood of ADL recovery (beta = 0.017, p < .01). Emotional and instrumental support did not affect the protective effect of social networks against disability, but partially accounted for their effect on enhanced recovery. Network variables related to relatives and friends were significantly associated with disability and recovery risks, but those related to children or a confidant were not. The associations with disability transitions as measured by the Rosow-Breslau index were generally smaller and nonsignificant. DISCUSSION: The findings lend further support for the role of social relationships in important health outcomes in old age. They suggest that being "embedded" in a social network of relatives and friends reduces risk for ADL disability, and enhances recovery from ADL disability.

This article has been cited by other articles: (Search Google Scholar for Other Citing Articles)

				C. F Mendes de Leon Why do friendships matter for survival? J. Epidemiol. Community Health, July 1, 2005; 59(7): 538 - 539. [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Yang and L. K. George Functional Disability, Disability Transitions, and Depressive Symptoms in Late Life J Aging Health, June 1, 2005; 17(3): 263 - 292. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. E. Hardy, J. A. Dubin, T. R. Holford, and T. M. Gill Transitions between States of Disability and Independence among Older Persons Am. J. Epidemiol., March 15, 2005; 161(6): 575 - 584. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. E. Hardy and T. M. Gill Factors Associated With Recovery of Independence Among Newly Disabled Older Persons Archives of Internal Medicine, January 10, 2005; 165(1): 106 - 112. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. L. Barnes, C. F. Mendes de Leon, R. S. Wilson, J. L. Bienias, and D. A. Evans Social resources and cognitive decline in a population of older African Americans and whites Neurology, December 28, 2004; 63(12): 2322 - 2326. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Eschbach, G. V. Ostir, K. V. Patel, K. S. Markides, and J. S. Goodwin Neighborhood Context and Mortality Among Older Mexican Americans: Is There a Barrio Advantage? Am J Public Health, October 1, 2004; 94(10): 1807 - 1812. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Litwin The Association of Disability, Sociodemographic Background, and Social Network Type in Later Life J Aging Health, May 1, 2003; 15(2): 391 - 408. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. E. Hardy and T. M. Gill Recovery From Disability Among Community-Dwelling Older Persons JAMA, April 7, 2004; 291(13): 1596 - 1602. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. K. Rosen, R. Reid, A.-M. Broemeling, and C. C. Rakovski Applying a Risk-Adjustment Framework to Primary Care: Can We Improve on Existing Measures? Ann. Fam. Med, May 1, 2003; 1(1): 44 - 51. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. F. Mendes de Leon, T. A. Glass, and L. F. Berkman Social Engagement and Disability in a Community Population of Older Adults: The New Haven EPESE Am. J. Epidemiol., April 1, 2003; 157(7): 633 - 642. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. M. Gill and B. Kurland The Burden and Patterns of Disability in Activities of Daily Living Among Community-living Older Persons J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., January 1, 2003; 58(1): M70 - 75. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. F. M. de Leon, J. M. Guralnik, and K. Bandeen-Roche Short-Term Change in Physical Function and Disability: The Women's Health and Aging Study J. Gerontol. B. Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci., November 1, 2002; 57(6): S355 - 365. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. F. M. de Leon, D. T. Gold, T. A. Glass, L. Kaplan, and L. K. George Disability as a Function of Social Networks and Support in Elderly African Americans and Whites: The Duke EPESE 1986-1992 J. Gerontol. B. Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci., May 1, 2001; 56(3): S179 - S190. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. D. Wolinsky, E. S. Armbrecht, and K. W. Wyrwich Rethinking Functional Limitation Pathways Gerontologist, April 1, 2000; 40(2): 137 - 146. [Abstract] [Full Text]