Hakulinen, C;
Pulkki-Raback, L;
Jokela, M;
Ferrie, JE;
Aalto, A-M;
Virtanen, M;
Kivimaki, M;
... Elovainio, M; + view all
(2016)
Structural and functional aspects of social support as predictors of mental and physical health trajectories: Whitehall II cohort study.
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
, 70
(7)
pp. 710-715.
10.1136/jech-2015-206165.
Preview |
Text
Kivimaki_social_ties_sf36_ms_revised2_clean_9Dec2015.pdf - Accepted Version Download (301kB) | Preview |
Preview |
Image
Kivimaki_social ties figure1_300dpi.tiff - Accepted Version Download (186kB) | Preview |
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Social support is associated with better health. However, only a limited number of studies have examined the association of social support with health from the adult life course perspective and whether this association is bidirectional. METHODS: Participants (n=6797; 30% women; age range from 40 to 77 years) who were followed from 1989 (phase 2) to 2006 (phase 8) were selected from the ongoing Whitehall II Study. Structural and functional social support was measured at follow-up phases 2, 5 and 7. Mental and physical health was measured at five consecutive follow-up phases (3–8). RESULTS: Social support predicted better mental health, and certain functional aspects of social support, such as higher practical support and higher levels of negative aspects in social relationships, predicted poorer physical health. The association between negative aspects of close relationships and physical health was found to strengthen over the adult life course. In women, the association between marital status and mental health weakened until the age of approximately 60 years. Better mental and physical health was associated with higher future social support. CONCLUSIONS: The strength of the association between social support and health may vary over the adult life course. The association with health seems to be bidirectional.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Structural and functional aspects of social support as predictors of mental and physical health trajectories: Whitehall II cohort study |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1136/jech-2015-206165 |
| Publisher version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jech-2015-206165 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
| Keywords: | BRITISH CIVIL-SERVANTS, SELF-REPORTED HEALTH, CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS, NEGATIVE ASPECTS, HEART-DISEASE, OLDER-ADULTS, RISK-FACTORS, FOLLOW-UP, LATE-LIFE, MORTALITY |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health > Epidemiology and Public Health |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1484407 |
Archive Staff Only
 |
View Item |
