Social Support and Health: A Review of Physiological Processes Potentially Underlying Links to Disease Outcomes

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Perceived Social Support: Differences by Sex and Relationship

Previous research has shown that self-reports of the amount of social support are heritable. Using the Kessler perceived social support (KPSS) measure, we explored sex differences in the genetic and environmental contributions to individual differences. We did this separately for subscales that captured the perceived support from different members of the network (spouse, twin, children, parents, relatives, friends and confidant). Our sample comprised 7059 male, female and opposite-sex twin pairs aged 18−95 years from the Australian Twin Registry. We found tentative support for different genetic mechanisms in males and females for support from friends and the average KPSS score of all subscales, but otherwise, there are no sex differences. For each subscale alone, the additive genetic (A) and unique environment (E) effects were significant. By contrast, the covariation among the subscales was explained — in roughly equal parts — by A, E and the common environment, with effects of different support constellations plausibly accounting for the latter. A single genetic and common environment factor accounted for between half and three-quarters of the variance across the subscales in both males and females, suggesting little heterogeneity in the genetic and environmental etiology of the different support sources.

Current Status of Acceptance of Disability and the Correlation With the Life Quality in Parkinson's Disease in Southwest China

Background

Acceptance of disability (AOD) is a process that a patient must undergo to cope with altered abilities, but its effect in Parkinson's disease (PD) remains unclear. The present study aimed to determine the level of AOD, examine the influence of sociodemographic variables and disease characteristics on the AOD level, and evaluate the relation between AOD level and quality of life in a cohort of PD patients from Southwest of China.

Methods

A total of 336 PD patients were consecutively recruited from November 2018 to October 2020. At enrollment, demographic and clinical data were obtained using a questionnaire, and the Acceptance of Disability Scale-Revised (AODS-R) scale was used to measure the AOD level.

Results

The mean total score of AOD is 87.28, indicating a moderate level of disability acceptance in PD patients. Statistical analysis showed that understanding of PD, family support, and UPDRS-II score were major factors affecting AOD level, and patients with low AOD levels were more likely to have poorer quality of life.

Conclusion

AOD is a serious problem in PD patients in Southwest China, especially among individuals with insufficient family support and a lack of recognition of the disease. AOD was also associated with motor function and daily living ability, thus suggesting that evaluation of the AOD and promotion of the awareness may be helpful to improve the quality of life in patients with PD.

Perceived social support and ambulatory blood pressure during daily life: a meta-analysis

Perceived social support has been linked to lower rates of morbidity and mortality. However, more information is needed on the biological mechanisms potentially responsible for such links. The main aim of this paper was to conduct a meta-analytic review of the association between perceived social support and awake ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) which is linked to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The review identified 12 studies with a total of 3254 participants. The omnibus meta-analysis showed that higher perceived social support was not significantly related to lower ABP (Zr = -0.052, [ -0.11, 0.01]). In addition, there was evidence of significant bias across several indicators. Future research will be needed to explore the boundary conditions linking social support to ABP and its implications for theoretical models and intervention development.

The relationship between perceived social support and psychological distress in carers of older relatives: A longitudinal cross-lagged analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Although a large body of research has examined the relationship between social support and psychological health of family carers of frail older people, the exact nature and direction of this relationship is not well understood with most research to date being cross-sectional. This longitudinal study explored the relationship between perceived social support and psychological distress in carers of older relatives.

METHODS

We used data from two longitudinal cohorts which included a total of 332 family carers of frail older people. We used cross-lagged panel analysis to investigate the longitudinal association between perceived social support and carer psychological distress controlling for a number of covariates over time.

RESULTS

Fully-adjusted Generalised Estimating Equations (GEE) and cross-lagged models indicated that higher social support was significantly associated with lower carer psychological distress over time (regression coefficient [B] = -0.178, standard error [SE] = 0.028), with levels of perceived social support exerting an effect on psychological distress rather than vice versa (β = 0.03, p = 0.32).

LIMITATIONS

All observations were based on self-report data, and there may be other variables that may explain the results that we did not account for.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Our study finds that the directionality of the relationship appears to be from perceived social support to carer psychological distress suggesting that social support directly affects carer psychological health but not vice versa. This finding has important implications for the provision of social support interventions for carers of frail older people at risk of experiencing psychological distress.

Social Connection as a Public Health Issue: The Evidence and a Systemic Framework for Prioritizing the "Social" in Social Determinants of Health

There is growing interest in and renewed support for prioritizing social factors in public health both in the USA and globally. While there are multiple widely recognized social determinants of health, indicators of social connectedness (e.g., social capital, social support, social isolation, loneliness) are often noticeably absent from the discourse. This article provides an organizing framework for conceptualizing social connection and summarizes the cumulative evidence supporting its relevance for health, including epidemiological associations, pathways, and biological mechanisms. This evidence points to several implications for prioritizing social connection within solutions across sectors, where public health work, initiatives, and research play a key role in addressing gaps. Therefore, this review proposes a systemic framework for cross-sector action to identify missed opportunities and guide future investigation, intervention, practice, and policy on promoting social connection and health for all. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Public Health, Volume 43 is April 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Social Isolation and Sleep: Manifestation During COVID-19 Quarantines

Although researchers have investigated the impact of social isolation on well-being, the recent quarantines due to COVID-19 resulted in a social isolation environment that was unique to any examined in the past. Because sleep is one of the endogenous drives that impacts short and long-term health and well-being, it is important to consider how social isolation during the COVID-19 government-mandated quarantines affected sleep and sleep habits. A number of researchers have addressed this question during the last 2 years by examining several concepts related to possible changes in sleep during the quarantines. To best understand these recent results, the current mini review provides a background on the pre-pandemic literature on the effects of social isolation and loneliness with a focus on sleep and then summarizes the recent literature on sleep and sleep habits. In general, sleep was negatively impacted for many people during the pandemics but not all. One group that seemed to benefit from the pandemic in terms of sleep patterns, were younger people who could more easily adapt their sleep times to match their internal chronobiology. Given the potential broad impact of sleep on health and well-being, better understanding how social isolation impacts sleep is an important consideration for individuals, work organizations, and governments.

"It's a revolving door": Ego-depletion among prisoners with injecting drug use histories as a barrier to post-release success

BACKGROUND

People who inject drugs (PWID) are overrepresented among prisoner populations worldwide. This qualitative study used the psychological concept of "ego-depletion" as an exploratory framework to better understand the disproportionate rates of reincarceration among people with injecting drug use histories. The aim was to illuminate mechanisms by which prospects for positive post-release outcomes for PWID are enhanced or constricted.

METHODS

Participants were recruited from a longitudinal cohort study, SuperMIX, in Victoria, Australia. Eligible participants were invited to participate in an in-depth interview. Inclusion criteria were: aged 18+; lifetime history of injecting drug use; incarcerated for >three months and released from custody <12 months previously. Analysis of 48 interviews examined how concepts relevant to the ego-depletion framework (self-regulation; standards; consequences and mitigators of ego-depletion) manifested in participants' narratives.

RESULTS

Predominantly, participants aimed to avoid a return to problematic drug use and recidivism, and engaged in effortful self-regulation to pursue their post-release goals. Post-release environments were found to diminish self-regulation resources, leading to states of ego-depletion and compromising the capacity to self-regulate according to their ideals. Fatalism, stress, and fatigue associated with the transition period exacerbated ego-depletion. Strategies that mitigated ego-depletion included avoidance of triggering environments; reducing stress through opioid agonist therapy; and fostering positive affect through supportive relationships.

CONCLUSIONS

Post-release environments are ego-depleting and inconducive to sustaining behavioural changes for PWID leaving prison. Corrections' behaviourist paradigms take insufficient account of the socio-structural factors impacting on an individual's self-regulation capacities in the context of drug dependence and desistance processes. Breaking the cycles of reincarceration among PWID requires new approaches that moderate ego-depletion and facilitate long-term goal-pursuit.

One size does not fit all: A qualitative study exploring preferences and barriers towards the design of a loneliness reduction intervention in patients with coronary heart disease

Aim

To explore preferences and barriers towards the design of a loneliness reduction intervention in patients treated for coronary heart disease who experience loneliness.

Design

A qualitative study using patient involvement methodology.

Methods

Seventeen patients participated in either focus groups or individual interview sessions. The interview guide was based on patient involvement methodology. Interviews were analysed using deductive content analysis.

Results

Four overall findings emerged as follows: (a) An intervention involving a social network member must comply with patients perceived social norms; (b) An intervention involving a peer provides benefits from reciprocity and shared experiences, but also requires surplus mental energy; (c) The history of an existing relationship can act as both provider and barrier for confidentiality and (d) Start‐up, timeframe and structure of the intervention should be individually tailored to the patient's preferences. Findings illuminated preferences and barriers towards the design of a loneliness reduction intervention in patients with coronary heart disease.

Biological costs and benefits of social relationships for men and women in adulthood: The role of partner, family and friends

Despite numerous studies on social relationships and health, the empirical focus has often been on middle-aged or older adults, even though young adulthood is a period of considerable change in social networks. We investigated whether the associations between social relationships and allostatic load, a multisystem physiological dysregulation index that reflects chronic stress responses, vary by type of relationship and stages of the lifecourse. Relationships with spouse/partner, immediate family and friends were assessed in terms of emotional support and social strain. Poisson regression models on multiple imputed data sets from waves 2-3 (2010-2012) of the UK Household Longitudinal Study (N = 10,380) were estimated. Social strain, particularly from partners and immediate family, appeared to elicit greater stress related dysregulation during early adulthood (age 21-34 years), corresponding to a predicted difference in the allostatic load index (range 0-12) between high and low strained relationships of 1.1 (95% CI: 0.5-1.6) among young women and 0.6 (95% CI: -0.04 to 1.2) among young men. There was little evidence of an association between allostatic load and any of the social relationships among older men and women. Models of social relationships over the lifecourse need to take account of how stressful social relationships become biologically embedded in early adulthood.

Nexus between constructs of social cognitive theory model and diabetes self-management among Ghanaian diabetic patients: A mediation modelling approach

The promotion of Diabetes Self-Management (DSM) practices, education, and support is vital to improving the care and wellbeing of diabetic patients. Identifying factors that affect DSM behaviours may be useful to promote healthy living among these patients. The study assessed the determinants of DSM practices among Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients using a model-based social cognitive theory (SCT). This cross-sectional study comprised 420 (T2DM) patients who visited the Diabetic Clinic of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Kumasi-Ghana. Data was collected using self-structured questionnaires to obtain socio-demographic characteristics, T2DM-related knowledge, DSM practices, SCT constructs; beliefs in treatment effectiveness, level of self-efficacy, perceived family support, and healthcare provider-patient communication. Path analysis was used to determine direct and indirect effects of T2DM-related knowledge, perceived family support, and healthcare provider service on DSM practices with level of self-efficacy mediating the relationships, and beliefs in treatment effectiveness as moderators. The mean age of the participants was 53.1(SD = 11.4) years and the average disease duration of T2DM was 10 years. Most of the participants (65.5%) had high (>6.1mmol/L) fasting blood glucose (FBG) with an average of 6.93(SD = 2.41). The path analysis model revealed that age (p = 0.176), gender (p = 0.901), and duration of T2DM (p = 0.119) did not confound the relationships between the SCT constructs and DSM specified in the model. A significant direct positive effect of family and friends' support (Critical ratio (CR) = 5.279, p < 0.001) on DSM was observed. Self-efficacy was a significant mediator in this relationship (CR = 4.833, p < 0.001). There were significant conditional indirect effects (CIE) for knowledge of T2DM and family and friends' support at medium and high levels of belief in treatment effectiveness (p < 0.05) via level of self-efficacy on DSM practices. However, no evidence of moderated-mediation was observed for the exogenous variables on DSM. Diabetes-related knowledge of T2DM, family and friends' support, level of self-efficacy, and belief in treatment effectiveness are crucial in DSM practices among Ghanaian T2DM patients. It is incumbent to consider these factors when designing interventions to improve DSM adherence.

Association between Social Activity and Development of Dementia in Hearing Impairment: A Cohort Study in Japan from Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study

We aimed to clarify the association between social activity and the development of dementia in older adults by hearing-impaired (HI) status. We applied a community-based prospective cohort study over 6 years as part of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study. The study included 53,549 participants aged 65 years and older who did not require long-term care. A baseline questionnaire survey was conducted; explanatory variables included physical and social activities, and the objective variable was dementia onset assessed by standardized protocol. Cox regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) for dementia stratified by HI status. During the follow-up period, 6013 (11.2%) participants developed dementia. Analyses revealed increased dementia risk for participants with HI who participated in the following activities less than once a month: sport groups (HR 2.17, 95% CI 1.53-3.08), hobby groups (HR 1.70, 95% CI 1.34-2.17), going out (HR 2.19, 95% CI 1.51-3.17), and meeting with friends (HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.06-1.53). HI and lack of social activity increase the risk of dementia. The study results indicate that there is an association between low social activity and the development of dementia in people with HI; the strongest associations were found for low participation in sports and hobby groups.

Autopercepção de saúde em idosos de baixa escolaridade: fatores demográficos, sociais e de comportamentos em saúde relacionados

Resumo Objetivo Verificar a relação entre a autopercepção de saúde positiva (AS positiva) em idosos de baixa escolaridade com variáveis demográficas, de participação social e comportamentais. Método Tratou-se de um estudo transversal (n=12.367), com idosos de mais de 60 anos de ambos os sexos, com até quatro anos de estudo de diversas cidades do Brasil entrevistados pela Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde do ano de 2019. Para a análise de dados, inicialmente, realizou-se a descrição das prevalências e, posteriormente, construíram-se três modelos de regressão de Poisson com ajuste robusto para variância, sendo as análises estratificadas por sexo. Resultados A prevalência de AS positiva foi de 38,8% nos homens e 34,8% nas mulheres. No último modelo de regressão construído foram encontradas associações com menores prevalências de AS positiva nas mulheres pretas ou pardas, enquanto maiores prevalências foram encontradas nas solteiras, com renda mais elevada, que participam de alguma associação, de atividades religiosas, iam ao médico com mais frequência, eram fisicamente ativas e consumiam regularmente frutas e hortaliças. Nos homens, foram encontradas menores prevalências nos pretos ou pardos e nos viúvos, já maiores prevalências foram encontradas naqueles que participavam de atividades religiosas e iam ao médico mais frequentemente. Conclusões O estudo reforça a importância de políticas para a melhoria de renda, bem como para promoção de comportamentos saudáveis e estímulo a participação social.

Characteristics of Workplace Psychosocial Resources and Risk of Diabetes: A Prospective Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether characteristics of workplace psychosocial resources are associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes among employees.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Participants were 49,835 employees (77% women, aged 40-65 years, and diabetes free at baseline) from the Finnish Public Sector cohort study. Characteristics of horizontal (culture of collaboration and support from colleagues) and vertical (leadership quality and organizational procedural justice) psychosocial resources were self-reported. Incident type 2 diabetes (n = 2,148) was ascertained through linkage to electronic health records from national registers. We used latent class modeling to assess the clustering of resource characteristics. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the relationship between the identified clusters and risk of type 2 diabetes during 10.9 years of follow-up, adjusting for age, sex, marital status, educational level, type of employment contract, comorbidity, and diagnosed mental disorders.

RESULTS

We identified four patterns of workplace psychosocial resources: unfavorable, favorable vertical, favorable horizontal, and favorable vertical and horizontal. Compared with unfavorable, favorable vertical (hazard ratio 0.87 [95% CI 0.78; 0.97]), favorable horizontal (0.77 [0.67; 0.88]), and favorable vertical and horizontal (0.77 [0.68; 0.86]) resources were associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, with the strongest associations seen in employees at age ≥55 years (Pinteraction = 0.03). These associations were robust to multivariable adjustments and were not explained by reverse causation.

CONCLUSIONS

A favorable culture of collaboration, support from colleagues, leadership quality, and organizational procedural justice are associated with a lower risk of employees developing type 2 diabetes than in those without such favorable workplace psychosocial resources.

Religious/spiritual struggles and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: Does "talking religion" help or hurt?

BACKGROUND

Research to date has suggested that religion might be a source of comfort and strength in times of crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it may also be a form of stress if spiritual struggles are experienced. We posit the discussion of religious and spiritual matters as a potential feature of religious life that may be helpful or harmful for dealing with the impacts of spiritual struggles.

PURPOSE

This study has two objectives. First, we assess the association between religious/spiritual struggles and both perceptions of psychological distress and self-rated health, affording attention to the prevalence of religious struggles during this time. Second, drawing from social penetration theory, we consider both the potential helpful and harmful role of discussing religion with friends and family members for the well-being of those experiencing various degrees of religious/spiritual struggles.

METHODS

Using data from a nationally representative sample of Americans collected in January 2021, nearly a year after the onset of the pandemic (N = 1,711), we conduct a series of OLS and ordinal logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Results suggest that religious/spiritual struggles were somewhat common among Americans during COVID-19 and were associated with greater psychological distress and worse perceived self-rated health during the pandemic. In the context of high R/S struggles, both psychological distress and perceived self-rated health were more favorable when religious and spiritual matters were discussed very frequently, several times a week or more. Unlike for psychological distress, however, we found no evidence that discussion of religious matters in the face of greater R/S struggles exacerbated their ill effect on health. Supplemental analyses showed that these findings are not being driven by religious denominational differences across our focal variables.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Encouraged by discussions of faith with close network confidants, people experiencing R/S struggles might seek help in the form of counseling in both secular and/or religious settings. Exploring potential resilience factors, such as religious discussion, may help inform broader or more local strategies aimed at economic recovery. Our results therefore invite future investigation into the role of religious coping in mitigating the health effects of pandemic hardship.

Self-perceived health in older adults with low education: demographic, social and health-related behavior factors

Abstract Objective To verify the relationship between positive self-perception of health (positive SPH) in less-educated older adults and demographic, social participation, and behavioral variables. Methods This was a cross-sectional study (n=12,367), with elderly people over 60 years old of both sexes, with up to four years of study from several cities in Brazil, interviewed by the National Health Survey of the year 2019. For the analysis of data, the prevalence was initially described, and later, three Poisson regression models with robust adjustment for variance were constructed, with the analyzes being stratified by sex Results The prevalence of positive SPH was 38.8% in men and 34.8% in women. The last regression model built revealed associations with a lower positive SPH prevalence in black or brown women. In contrast, higher prevalence levels were found in single women, with higher income, participating in some associations, engaged in religious activities, visiting the doctor more often, physically active, and regularly consuming fruits and vegetables. In men, relationships with lower prevalence were found in blacks or browns and widowers, and higher prevalence levels were found in those engaging in religious activities and visiting the doctor more often. Conclusions The study reinforces the importance of policies aimed at improving income, promoting healthy behaviors and encouraging social participation.

Childhood Abuse, Social Support, and Long-Term Pharmacological Treatment Outcomes in Patients With Depressive Disorders

OBJECTIVES

This study was performed to investigate the roles of childhood abuse and social support in predicting short- and long-term pharmacological treatment outcomes in outpatients with depressive disorders in a naturalistic 1-year prospective design.

METHODS

Patients were recruited at a university hospital in South Korea between March 2012 and April 2017. Subjects with stepwise pharmacotherapy (switching, augmentation, combination, and mixture of these approaches) included 1246 patients at 12-week points in the acute treatment response and 1,015 patients at 12-months in the long-term treatment response. Remission was defined as Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score ≤ 7. Exposure to three types of childhood abuse (physical, emotional, and sexual) before the age of 16 and perceived social support were assessed at baseline.

RESULTS

Individual associations of childhood abuse were associated with poorer treatment outcomes in the 12-month long-term phase, and no significant individual associations were found for social support level with any period outcome. In combination, any child abuse, emotional abuse, and physical abuse were significantly associated with long-term 12-month remission rate in the presence of higher level of social support after adjustment with significant interaction terms. However, no significant interactions were found with sexual abuse.

CONCLUSION

Synergistic interactive effects of child abuse and social support levels on treatment outcomes in depressive patients were found during long-term pharmacotherapy. Thus, depressed patients with a history of childhood abuse may require specialized clinical approaches, including social support, to enhance the long-term treatment outcomes.

Social alienation of adolescents with obesity in classrooms: A multilevel approach

INTRODUCTION

Adolescents with obesity are more likely to be isolated by peers, but whether they also choose to disengage from their peers remains unclear.

METHODS

This study examined a sample of 646 adolescents between the age of 13 and 16 across 34 classrooms in 3 junior high schools in Taiwan, with data collected from May to June 2019. The sociometric network nomination method assessed peer relationships, such as unpopularity, unsociability, and alienation. Multilevel models were applied to explore the extent to which the class-level prevalence of overweight and obesity and peer support moderate the relationship between student-level obesity and peer relationships.

RESULTS

Overall, students with obesity were more likely to experience unpopularity, unsociability, and alienation from their peers in classroom settings (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.904, 2.208, 2.777, p < .05). Regardless of their obesity status, students in high classroom peer support were less likely to report unsociability (AOR = 0.124, p < .05). No cross-level interactions were observed, indicating that students with obesity did not experience a reduction of peer rejection in high peer support classrooms. Neither did obese students in classrooms with higher rates of overweight and obesity.

CONCLUSIONS

Students with obesity were more likely to experience interpersonal problems. Classroom peer support can increase peer acceptance for typical students but has no beneficial influence on adolescents with weight problems. Classroom peer support needs to be directed to become adequate support for students with obesity.

Home-Based Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for the Treatment of Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Sham-Controlled Clinical Trial

We conducted a double-blind randomized clinical trial in order to examine the effects and the safety of home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on depressive and anxious symptoms of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). We evaluated 26 adults with TLE and depressive symptoms randomized into two different groups: active tDCS (tDCSa) and Sham (tDCSs). The patients were first submitted to 20 sessions of tDCS for 20 min daily, 5 days a week for 4 weeks and then received a maintenance tDCS application in the research laboratory once a week for 3 weeks. The intensity of the current was 2 mA, applied bilaterally over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, with the anode positioned on the left side and the cathode on the right side. Participants were evaluated on days 1, 15, 30, and 60 of the study using the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI). A follow-up evaluation was performed 1 year after the end of treatment. They were also evaluated for quality of life and for anxious symptoms as secondary outcomes. The groups did not differ in clinical, socioeconomic or psychometric characteristics at the initial assessment. There was no statistically significant difference between groups regarding reported adverse effects, seizure frequency or dropouts. On average, between the 1st and 60th day, the BDI score decreased by 43.93% in the active group and by 44.67% in the Sham group (ΔBDIfinal – initial = −12.54 vs. −12.20, p = 0.68). The similar improvement in depressive symptoms observed in both groups was attributed to placebo effect and interaction between participants and research group and not to tDCS intervention per se. In our study, tDCS was safe and well tolerated, but it was not effective in reducing depressive or anxiety symptoms in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.

Clinical Trial Registration: [ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [NCT03871842].

Sleep and daytime problems during the COVID-19 pandemic and effects of coronavirus infection, confinement and financial suffering: a multinational survey using a harmonised questionnaire

OBJECTIVES

Sleep is important for human health and well-being. No previous study has assessed whether the COVID-19 pandemic impacts sleep and daytime function across the globe.

METHODS

This large-scale international survey used a harmonised questionnaire. Fourteen countries participated during the period of May-August 2020. Sleep and daytime problems (poor sleep quality, sleep onset and maintenance problems, nightmares, hypnotic use, fatigue and excessive sleepiness) occurring 'before' and 'during' the pandemic were investigated. In total, 25 484 people participated and 22 151 (86.9%) responded to the key parameters and were included. Effects of COVID-19, confinement and financial suffering were considered. In the fully adjusted logistic regression models, results (weighted and stratified by country) were adjusted for gender, age, marital status, educational level, ethnicity, presence of sleep problems before COVID-19 and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic in each country at the time of the survey.

RESULTS

The responders were mostly women (64%) with a mean age 41.8 (SD 15.9) years (median 39, range 18-95). Altogether, 3.0% reported having had COVID-19; 42.2% reported having been in confinement; and 55.9% had suffered financially. All sleep and daytime problems worsened during the pandemic by about 10% or more. Also, some participants reported improvements in sleep and daytime function. For example, sleep quality worsened in about 20% of subjects and improved in about 5%. COVID-19 was particularly associated with poor sleep quality, early morning awakening and daytime sleepiness. Confinement was associated with poor sleep quality, problems falling asleep and decreased use of hypnotics. Financial suffering was associated with all sleep and daytime problems, including nightmares and fatigue, even in the fully adjusted logistic regression models.

CONCLUSIONS

Sleep problems, fatigue and excessive sleepiness increased significantly worldwide during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Problems were associated with confinement and especially with financial suffering.

Period Analysis of Intraracial Differences in Incidence and Survival Rates in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

BACKGROUND

To explain the difference in the incidence and relative survival in a population-based cohort of women with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) postdiagnosis in the last forty years. EOC is the most common type of all ovarian cancers, but there is inadequate information about the variations related to long-term EOC survival.

METHODS

We acquired the incidence and relative survival rate data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registries to analyze the epidemiological variations from 1974 to 2013 in EOC-affected individuals. The survival disparities in EOC-specific individuals due to age, race, and socioeconomic status (SES) were performed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. The Results. The overall incidence of EOC progressively declined to 9.0 per 100,000 from 11.4 in the last forty years. The median survival rate improved to 48 months in the first decade from a previous of 27 months in the fourth decade. The 5-year relative survival rate (RSR) increased to 44.3% that was previously 32.3% at the same time. However, between whites and blacks, an increase from 11 to 18 months was observed in the median survival differences. Between the low and high poverty groups, it was increased from 7 months to 12 months, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence rate of RSR and EOC-specific individuals in the last forty years was improved. However, the survival rates among different races and SES differed over time.

The Dyadic Health Influence Model

Relationship partners affect one another's health outcomes through their health behaviors, yet how this occurs is not well understood. To fill this gap, we present the Dyadic Health Influence Model (DHIM). The DHIM identifies three routes through which a person (the agent) can impact the health beliefs and behavior of their partner (the target). An agent may (a) model health behaviors and shape the shared environment, (b) enact behaviors that promote their relationship, and/or (c) employ strategies to intentionally influence the target's health behavior. A central premise of the DHIM is that agents act based on their beliefs about their partner's health and their relationship. In turn, their actions have consequences not only for targets' health behavior but also for their relationship. We review theoretical and empirical research that provides initial support for the routes and offer testable predictions at the intersection of health behavior change research and relationship science.

Come for Information, Stay for Support: Harnessing the Power of Online Health Communities for Social Connectedness during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic created a globally shared stressor that saw a rise in the emphasis on mental and emotional wellbeing. However, historically, these topics were not openly discussed, leaving those struggling without professional support. One powerful tool to bridge the gap and facilitate connectedness during times of isolation is online health communities (OHCs). This study surveyed Health Union OHC members during the pandemic to determine the degree of COVID-19 concern, social isolation, and mental health distress they are facing, as well as to assess where they are receiving information about COVID-19 and what sources of support they desire. The survey was completed in six independent waves between March 2020 and April 2021, and garnered 10,177 total responses. In the United States, OHCs were utilized significantly more during peak lockdown times, and the desire for emotional and/or mental health support increased over time. Open-ended responses demonstrated a strong desire for connection and validation, which are quintessential characteristics of OHCs. Through active moderation utilizing trained moderators, OHCs can provide a powerful, intermediate and safe space where conversations about mental and emotional wellbeing can be normalized and those in need are encouraged to seek additional assistance from healthcare professionals if warranted.

Self-perceived social relationships are related to health risk behaviors and mental health in adolescents

Although changes have been observed in social relationships in the recent years, especially among younger generations, little evidence is available concerning factors associated with adolescents' perceived social relationships. In this study we investigated the association between self-perceived social relationships, health-related behaviors, biological maturation, and mental health in adolescents. This is a cross-sectional study conducted with 1,336 adolescents (605 boys and 731 girls) aged between 10 to 17 years from public schools. Self-perceived social relationships (family, friends, and teachers), feelings of stress and sadness, academic performance, tobacco smoking, alcohol and fat consumption, physical activity, and screen time were evaluated by a questionnaire. Biological maturation was assessed by the peak height velocity. We observed that worse perceived social relationships were associated with tobacco smoking (family and teachers), alcohol drinking (teachers), higher consumption of fat (teachers), greater feelings of stress (family and teachers) and sadness (family and friends), and poor academic achievement (friends and teachers).

How Families Make Their Way Into Your Heart: Exploring the Associations Between Daily Experiences Involving Family Members and Cardiovascular Health

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular disease is a critical public health issue and a growing body of literature on relationships and health point to individuals' interactions and involvement with family members as significant correlates of cardiovascular outcomes. However, less is known about the implications of daily encounters with family members on cardiovascular health outcomes and how the associations vary across adulthood.

PURPOSE

The aims of this study were to examine the associations of positive and negative daily experiences with family members with comprehensive measures of cardiovascular health and to further explore how age moderates these associations.

METHODS

This study used data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) II and MIDUS Refresher. The sample was composed of respondents who participated in two subprojects of MIDUS, namely the National Study of Daily Experiences (NSDE) and Biomarker Project (N = 1,312). Indices of cardiovascular health included inflammatory markers, autonomic functioning, and Life's Simple 7 scores.

RESULTS

Results showed that the associations between daily family experiences and cardiovascular outcomes differed by age. Having more daily negative experiences with family members was associated with better cardiovascular health outcomes among young adults and worse cardiovascular outcomes among older adults. Having more daily positive experiences was also associated with lower heart rate variability for older adults.

CONCLUSIONS

Results revealed that contrary to the general assumption that negative experiences have health-damaging effects, frequent involvement with family members in daily life, even negative ones, may be indicative of active engagement in life that could be health promoting for younger adults.

Loneliness and Mental Health: The Mediating Effect of Perceived Social Support

Social connectedness is a fundamental human need. The Evolutionary Theory of Loneliness (ETL) predicts that a lack of social connectedness has long-term mental and physical health consequences. Social support is a potential mechanism through which loneliness influences health. The present cross-sectional study examined the relationship between loneliness and mental health, and the mediating effects of social support in a Dutch adult sample (N = 187, age 20 to 70). The health variables included in the study are anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms as measured by the SCL-90, and the DSM-5 diagnosis somatic symptom disorder. The results indicated that social support partially mediated the relationship between loneliness and anxiety, depression, and somatic symptoms. These results indicate that social support partially explains the relationship between loneliness and physical and mental health issues. The relationship between loneliness and being diagnosed with somatic symptom disorder was not mediated by social support. This suggests that the mechanisms through which loneliness relates to either somatic symptoms or somatic symptom disorder are different.

Healthy by Association: The relationship between social participation and self-rated physical and psychological health

This paper investigates the relationship between social participation and subjective health. Using individual-level data from the British Household Panel Survey, we show that being an active member of a social or sport organisation increases self-rated physical and psychological health. For men, the benefits of social interaction work primarily via physical pathways, while women report a more psychosocial channel. We separate the main results by occupation and document some heterogeneity. Manual workers find more physical and psychological relief via social involvement, whereas non-manual workers are more likely to take relief from sport participation. Interestingly, as the number of associations in which the individual is active increases, the incremental increase in social benefits diminishes. Our findings point to the importance of promoting social and sport activities in health communication and policy making.

Strengthening community connection and personal well-being through volunteering in New Zealand

Volunteering is a way for people to develop meaningful relationships within a social group and can lead to the building of social capital, from which both individuals and the wider group can benefit in the form of enhanced well-being. This study aimed to explore and describe the impact of volunteering on the volunteer coordinators and volunteers themselves in the eastern suburbs of Christchurch, New Zealand, an area particularly impacted by the devastating earthquakes in the period 2010/2011. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with volunteer coordinators and volunteers (n = 35; 16 men, 19 women) from November 2018 to mid-January 2019. Thematic analysis of data highlighted a key theme of Creating and strengthening valued community connections, with subthemes of Personal growth, Community connections and Role of coordination. The key theme illustrated how formal volunteering created effort and opportunities towards the strengthening of personal and community connectedness. Our study demonstrates the importance of social connection for both individual and community well-being, emphasises the important role of "champions" in facilitating the building of bridging and bonding relationships between individuals and communities, and suggests a role for healthcare professionals to prescribe volunteering as a way to improve individual health and well-being outcomes.

Older Adults' Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) Engagement Following COVID-19 and Its Impact on Access to Community, Information, and Resource Exchange: A Longitudinal, Qualitative Study

Following COVID-19, the CDC asked individuals to social distance and state and local authorities nationwide began issuing curfews and recommendations to “shelter-in-place.” Known to be more susceptible to the negative effects of COVID-19 and often coping with higher levels of social isolation, many worried that older adults’ mental health would suffer. While computer-mediated communication (CMC) is on the rise among older adults, whether and how older adults leverage the social benefits of CMC remains underexplored. This study assesses older adults’ CMC use after COVID and the impact of CMC engagement on access to connection, information, and resources. We follow 22 older adults over 6 weeks, using longitudinal qualitative surveys to study CMC use patterns and mental health outcomes. Results revealed that while older adults exhibited purpose-driven CMC engagement, limited integration into larger online communities restricted access to up-to-the-minute information, notably early in the pandemic. Longitudinal findings show progressively less engagement with online news and information, withdrawal from online social engagement, and a progressive relaxing of social distancing. This study sheds light on how best to reach older adults following disaster, and where older adults may be disadvantaged as social media becomes a modern “emergency broadcast system.”

Qualities of social relationships as mediators of the relationship between future perceptions and health

OBJECTIVES

Foreshortened future perceptions relate to higher mental and physical morbidity. However, socioemotional selectivity theory (SST) maintains that psychological well-being improves as future perceptions narrow due to growing tendency to prioritize meaningful goals and close relationships. The objective of this study was to reconcile this contradiction by examining a model in which the focus on close relationships suppresses the direct relationship between narrow future perceptions and physical/mental morbidity.

METHOD

Community-dwelling older adults (N = 249, mean age = 75.60, SD = 7.54) recruited through social clubs and day centers were interviewed at home. They filled self-report questionnaires measuring future time perspective, subjective nearness to death, positivity of relationships with others and inclusion of others in the self, while rating several physical/mental health indices. A structural equation modeling analysis tested direct and indirect effects.

RESULTS

Narrow future perceptions related to higher mental (|β| ranged .28 to .47, p < .001) and physical morbidity (|β| ranged .37 to .45, p < .001) and, surprisingly, also to lower positivity of close relationships (|β| ranged .24 to .31, p < .01) and less inclusion of others (|β| ranged .17 to .21, p < .01). Both social indices mediated the relationship with lower physical health, while positivity of close relationships also mediated the relationship with psychological distress.

CONCLUSION

The findings challenge SST assumptions by underscoring the negative effects of narrow future perceptions on social relationship, making the latter a mediator rather than suppressor in the link between future perceptions and physical/mental morbidity. The findings should be viewed in light of the study's limitations, including convenience sampling and cross-sectional design.

The relationship between perceived support and depression in spousal care partners: a dyadic approach

OBJECTIVES

Caregiving within a spousal partnership marks a novel relationship stage for couples. Caregiving introduces new stressors and affects couples' ability to cope, and potentially alters perceptions of emotional support. Prior research on older married couples illustrates how perceived support not only affects an individual's mental health, but also that of their partner. To date, the dyadic relationship between emotional support and mental health is largely unexamined among caregiving partners, where support expectations may differ.

METHOD

Actor partner interdependence models using linear mixed modeling were applied to data from spouses where one partner received caregiving within the 2014 and 2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. We examined the cross-sectional and lagged associations between perceived emotional support and strain from a spouse on actor and partner depression scores, as well as whether one was the caregiver or the care recipient moderated associations.

RESULTS

More positive perceptions of support were associated with lower depression scores for oneself (b= -0.55, p < 0.001) and one's partner (b= -0.24, p < 0.001). Actor effects-how one's own perceptions of support associate with one's own depressive symptomology-were stronger for care recipients than for caregivers (b= -0.83, p < 0.001 v. b= -0.26, p < 0.05). Higher perceptions of strain were also associated with higher depression scores for oneself (b = 0.57, p < 0.001) and one's partner (b = 0.39, p < 0.001), associations that remained even in lagged models.

CONCLUSIONS

The observation of both actor and partner effects in this study suggests opportunities to improve care recipient outcomes through intervention with caregivers or both members of the care dyad.

Longitudinal effects of perinatal social support on maternal depression: a marginal structural modelling approach

BACKGROUND

Depression in the perinatal period, during pregnancy or within 1 year of childbirth, imposes a high burden on women with rippling effects through her and her child's life course. Social support may be an important protective factor, but the complex bidirectional relationship with depression, alongside a paucity of longitudinal explorations, leaves much unknown about critical windows of social support exposure across the perinatal period and causal impacts on future depressive episodes.

METHODS

This study leverages marginal structural models to evaluate associations between longitudinal patterns of perinatal social support and subsequent maternal depression at 6 and 12 months postpartum. In a cohort of women in rural Pakistan (n=780), recruited in the third trimester of pregnancy and followed up at 3, 6 and 12 months postpartum, we assessed social support using two well-validated measures: the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and the Maternal Social Support Index (MSSI). Major depressive disorder was assessed with the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV).

RESULTS

High and sustained scores on the MSPSS through the perinatal period were associated with a decreased risk of depression at 12 months postpartum (0.35, 95% CI: 0.19 to 0.63). Evidence suggests the recency of support also matters, but estimates are imprecise. We did not find evidence of a protective effect for support based on the MSSI.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the protective effect of sustained social support, particularly emotional support, on perinatal depression. Interventions targeting, leveraging and maintaining this type of support may be particularly important for reducing postpartum depression.

Stress-buffering effect of social support on immunity and infectious risk during chemotherapy for breast cancer

Objective

This study investigated the stress-buffering effect of social support on immune function and infectious risk in women with breast cancer, during and after chemotherapy.

Method

Data were collected from 50 women with breast cancer before and after their chemotherapy, as well as three months later. Stress was measured by daily hassles related to cancer and social support by marital status (MS) and perceived support from friends (Ps-fr). Blood was collected to measure innate immune markers (i.e., T cells, NK cells and neutrophils). Infections were evaluated using a semi-structured interview. Moderation, mediation and moderated mediation models were computed to test the hypotheses.

Results

Higher stress at baseline was found to significantly predict a higher occurrence of infections during chemotherapy, but not three months later. The relationship between stress and infections was not significantly explained by any of the immune markers. The interaction between stress and social support was tested using MS alone and combined with Ps-fr. A protective effect of social support on the deleterious effect of stress on infectious risk was found. Single patients reporting lower Ps-fr showed the strongest association between stress and infections, while the weakest association was found in patients in a committed relationship with a higher level of Ps-fr.

Conclusions

Women experiencing more stress before the beginning of chemotherapy would appear to be at a higher risk of developing infections during their treatment. Results of this study also suggest that this effect could be buffered by the presence of a romantic partner and by higher Ps-fr.

The health consequences of stress in couples: A review and new integrated Dyadic Biobehavioral Stress Model

Despite marriage's health benefits, all couples experience stress that can increase morbidity and mortality risks. Marital stress can alter endocrine, cardiovascular, and immune function-key pathways from troubled relationships to poor health. This review discusses how partners "get under each other's skin" to influence psychological, behavioral, and biological health. Then, I offer a comprehensive Dyadic Biobehavioral Stress Model to build on this foundational work and inspire transdisciplinary research integrating psychoneuroimmunological and relational lenses. This conceptual and empirically driven model provides promising new directions to investigate mechanisms linking individuals' relationships behaviors to their own and their partners' health, with particular emphasis on biological pathways. These mechanisms may impact each partner's physical health outcomes, such as disease development, illness severity, and accelerated biological aging. Risk and protective factors across developmental stages and diverse contexts are also discussed to help explain how, and under what conditions, partners influence each other's health. Research applying this model can push the boundaries of our current understanding on dyadic stress its far-reaching health effects on self-report and biological markers across the lifespan.

Beyond social withdrawal: New perspectives on the effects of inflammation on social behavior

Decades of research in animals and humans show that inflammation is an important regulator of social behavior. While much research in this area has concluded that inflammation causes a withdrawal from social interaction, closer examination of the literature reveals that the effects of inflammation on social behavior are much more nuanced. Indeed, while many studies do show that increases in inflammation lead to social withdrawal, other studies show the exact opposite, finding that inflammation leads to an increase in social approach behavior. Critically, whether an organism withdraws or approaches when inflamed may depend on the whether the target of the behavior is a close other or a stranger. In the present paper, we review both animal research and our initial research in humans that has utilized experimental manipulations of inflammation and examined their effects on social approach behavior. We argue, based on complementary theoretical perspectives and supporting evidence from the literature, that there are three critical next steps for translational work examining the effects of inflammation on social behavior: (1) We need to study actual social behavior, as expressed toward both close others and strangers; (2) We should examine not just the social behavior of the inflamed individual, but also the behavior of others interacting with an inflamed individual; and (3) We must consider the relative increases in inflammation (i.e., higher vs. lower) as a contributor to social withdrawal vs. approach. Ultimately, we urge the field to move beyond a singular focus on inflammation and social withdrawal so that we can develop a more comprehensive understanding of the effects of inflammation on a variety of social behaviors.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Cognitive Development and Executive Functioning in Adolescents: A First Exploratory Investigation

Background: The rapid expansion and severity of the COVID-19 contagion has had negative physical and psychological health implications for millions of people around the world, but even more so among children and adolescents. Given the severity of the situation and the small number of studies on the direct influence of viral infection on the cognitive development within adolescents, the present study aims at understanding the consequences of contracting the virus and being hospitalized in relation to cognitive functioning, in particular, for executive functioning, among adolescents. Methods: To all subjects included in the sample, divided into four groups based on the severity of the COVID-19 infection, were administered the WISC-IV in order to evaluate the global cognitive functioning, and subsequently, the subtests Courses and Tower of London (ToL), both part of the BVN 12–18, were administered for the evaluation of executive operation. Results: Our analyses showed that between subjects who did not contract the viral infection and those who contracted it in an asymptomatic form, there are no significant differences in cognitive functioning, but only in executive functioning. Furthermore, in both hospitalized and non-hospitalized subjects, we found lower scores especially for WM skills, while IQ scores are in a medium range. Conclusion: the present study shows that contracting the viral infection and, thus, being hospitalized, caused greater problems and difficulties as compared to those who were not hospitalized, impacting global cognitive (and executive) functioning, especially the WM. We believe that these results could allow an early detection of alterations in cognitive and executive functioning, a fundamental aspect of the interventions that occur in evolutionary phases such as those related to pre-adolescence, allowing, therefore, the activation of functional recovery pathways in a short time.

Shift in Social Media App Usage During COVID-19 Lockdown and Clinical Anxiety Symptoms: Machine Learning-Based Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

BACKGROUND

Anxiety symptoms during public health crises are associated with adverse psychiatric outcomes and impaired health decision-making. The interaction between real-time social media use patterns and clinical anxiety during infectious disease outbreaks is underexplored.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to evaluate the usage pattern of 2 types of social media apps (communication and social networking) among patients in outpatient psychiatric treatment during the COVID-19 surge and lockdown in Madrid, Spain and their short-term anxiety symptoms (7-item General Anxiety Disorder scale) at clinical follow-up.

METHODS

The individual-level shifts in median social media usage behavior from February 1 through May 3, 2020 were summarized using repeated measures analysis of variance that accounted for the fixed effects of the lockdown (prelockdown versus postlockdown), group (clinical anxiety group versus nonclinical anxiety group), the interaction of lockdown and group, and random effects of users. A machine learning-based approach that combined a hidden Markov model and logistic regression was applied to predict clinical anxiety (n=44) and nonclinical anxiety (n=51), based on longitudinal time-series data that comprised communication and social networking app usage (in seconds) as well as anxiety-associated clinical survey variables, including the presence of an essential worker in the household, worries about life instability, changes in social interaction frequency during the lockdown, cohabitation status, and health status.

RESULTS

Individual-level analysis of daily social media usage showed that the increase in communication app usage from prelockdown to lockdown period was significantly smaller in the clinical anxiety group than that in the nonclinical anxiety group (F1,72=3.84, P=.05). The machine learning model achieved a mean accuracy of 62.30% (SD 16%) and area under the receiver operating curve 0.70 (SD 0.19) in 10-fold cross-validation in identifying the clinical anxiety group.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who reported severe anxiety symptoms were less active in communication apps after the mandated lockdown and more engaged in social networking apps in the overall period, which suggested that there was a different pattern of digital social behavior for adapting to the crisis. Predictive modeling using digital biomarkers-passive-sensing of shifts in category-based social media app usage during the lockdown-can identify individuals at risk for psychiatric sequelae.

Psychological Well-Being and Cognitive Function among Older Adults in China: A Population-Based Longitudinal Study

ObjectivesThis study aims to examine the relationship between psychological well-being (PWB) and cognitive function in older adults in China. Methods: Data are from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Analyses were restricted to 9,487 older persons (age ≥ 60) without cognitive impairment at baseline. Respondents were followed over a 12-year period. Cognitive function was assessed using the Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (C-MMSE). PWB was assessed using a composite index capturing optimism, conscientiousness, neuroticism, loneliness, personal control, self-esteem, and happiness. Results: Multilevel mixed effects generalized linear models showed that respondents with greater PWB had a slower rate of cognitive decline over time, adjusting for sociodemographic and health characteristics. In addition, multilevel multinomial logistic regression models showed that greater PWB was associated with lower odds of developing cognitive impairment. Conclusions: Findings suggest that fostering PWB may prevent or delay adverse cognitive changes.

From human wellbeing to animal welfare

What does it mean to be "well" and how might such a state be cultivated? When we speak of wellbeing, it is of ourselves and fellow humans. When it comes to nonhuman animals, consideration turns to welfare. My aim herein is to suggest that theoretical approaches to human wellbeing might be beneficially applied to consideration of animal welfare, and in so doing, introduce new lines of inquiry and practice. I will review current approaches to human wellbeing, adopting a triarchic structure that delineates hedonic wellbeing, eudaimonic wellbeing, and social wellbeing. For each, I present a conceptual definition and a review of how researchers have endeavored to measure the construct. Drawing these three domains of research together, I highlight how these traditionally anthropocentric lines of inquiry might be extended to the question of animal welfare - namely by considering hedonic welfare, eudaimonic welfare, and social welfare as potentially distinguishable and complementary components of the broader construct of animal welfare.

Social Capital as a Mediator in the Link between Women's Participation in Team Sports and Health-Related Outcomes

The role of social capital in the association between team sports and health-related outcomes has not been well established in the literature. The purpose of this study was to explore whether social capital components (social support, trust, and social involvement) mediate the association between team sports and health-related outcomes (self-reported health, psychosomatic symptoms, and depressive symptoms). In a cross-sectional research design, we obtained data from 759 participants in the Mamanet Cachibol League, a community team sports model for women in Israel, as well as a comparison group of 308 women who did not participate in any team sports. Team captains were sent a link with an online questionnaire, which were then delivered to team members via text message. Using three parallel mediation models, we found that social support mediated the association between team sports and self-reported health, psychosomatic symptoms, and depressive symptoms. Trust mediated the association between team sports and both psychosomatic symptoms and depressive symptoms. Social involvement was not found to be a mediator in the association between team sports and any of the health-related outcomes. Our findings reveal the important role of social capital, specifically social support and trust, in promoting the health of women who participate in team sports.

Moderated mediation between work–life conflict and employee turnover intentions: the role of job dissatisfaction and workplace social support

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine a moderated mediation model of job dissatisfaction and workplace social support in the relationship between work–life conflict and turnover intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected in a cross-sectional survey of 220 police investigation officers. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was applied for data analysis.

Findings

Empirical findings of study indicate that work–life conflict enhances employee turnover intentions by creating job dissatisfaction. However, workplace social support buffers this effect and reduces turnover intentions by weakening the effect of work–life conflict on job dissatisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to personnel management and organizational psychology literature by explaining how workplace social support can affect the mediating process of job dissatisfaction through which the relationship between work–life conflict and turnover intentions is determined. The limitations are related to external validity, single source data and cross-sectional nature of data.

Practical implications

Organizational leaders and practitioners can take insights from the findings of this study that if workplace social support prevails at a level greater than work–life conflict, it will nullify or suppress the effect of work–life conflict on turnover intentions by reducing job dissatisfaction.

Originality/value

The originality value of this study is that it has addressed the scarcity of testing boundary conditions of the indirect effect of work–life conflict on turnover intentions through job dissatisfaction.

Prognostic value of a brief loneliness questionnaire for patients with coronary heart disease: Proposal for a prediction model

BACKGROUND

In patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), loneliness is associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality. No predictive tool is available to detect patients who are influenced by loneliness to a degree that impacts mortality.

AIM

To: (i) propose a prediction model that detects patients influenced by loneliness to a degree that increases one-year all-cause mortality, (ii) evaluate model classification performance of the prediction model, and (iii) investigate potential questionnaire response errors.

METHOD

A cohort of patients with CHD (n = 7169) responded to a national cross-sectional survey, including two questions on loneliness. Information on cohabitation and follow-up information on one-year all-cause mortality were obtained from national registers. Prediction model development was based on the prognostic values of item responses in the questionnaire on loneliness and of cohabitation, evaluated with Cox-proportional Hazards Ratio (HR). Item responses which significantly predicted one-year mortality were included in the high-risk loneliness (HiRL) prediction model. Sensitivity, specificity and likelihood ratio were calculated to evaluate model classification performance. Sources of response errors were evaluated using verbal probing technique in an additional cohort (n = 7). The TRIPOD checklist has been used to ensure transparent reporting.

RESULTS

Two item responses significantly predicted one-year mortality HR = 2.24 (95%CI = 1.24-4.03) and HR = 2.65 (95%CI = 1.32-5.32) and were thus included in the model. Model classification performance showed a likelihood ratio of 1.89. Response error was evaluated as low.

CONCLUSION

Based on the prognostic value in a loneliness questionnaire, a prediction model suitable to screen patients with CHD for high-risk loneliness was suggested.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

The HiRL prediction model is a short and easy-to-use screening tool that offers clinical staff to identify patients with CHD who are influenced by loneliness to a degree that impacts mortality. However, further evaluation of model performance and questionnaire validation is recommended before integrating the model into clinical practice.

Correlates of social support in individuals with a diagnosis of common mental disorders and non communicable medical diseases in rural South India

PURPOSE

The purpose of the study was to examine the association between socio-demographic and clinical characteristics and perceived social support among patients with a diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety and co-morbid medical conditions from rural south India.

METHODS

The study was conducted in 49 PHCs in Ramanagara district, Karnataka, and included 2481 participants, who were 30 years or older with co-morbid CMD (Common Mental Disorder) and hypertension, diabetes or ischemic heart disease. Socio-demographic characteristics of the participants were collected, and instrumental, emotional and total social support, quality of life, severity of disability, depression and anxiety were measured via face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires.

RESULTS

The sample predominantly consisted of Hindu (98.5%) females (75%) in their middle to late adulthood. In multivariate models, age showed a significant curvilinear relation with all forms of social support (B = 0.001 and p < 0.05), and emotional social support (B = - 0.056, p = 0.004) was lower in employed than non-working participants. Household size was positively related to all forms of social support (B = 0.029 for instrumental, B = 0.022 for emotional, B = 0.025 for total social support, all p < 0.001). Quality of life was positively associated with all forms of social support (B = 0.019 for instrumental, B = 0.016 for emotional, B = 0.018 for total social support, all p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

For this sample of outpatients diagnosed with both CMD and at least one comorbid medical condition in rural south India, greater household size was associated with better social support. The role of family in providing support can be utilized while designing interventions.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

http://Clinicaltrials.gov : NCT02310932 registered December 8, 2014 URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT02310932 ; Clinical Trials Registry India: CTRI/2018/04/013001 retrospectively registered on April 4, 2018.

Social touch deprivation during COVID-19: effects on psychological wellbeing and craving interpersonal touch

Social touch has positive effects on social affiliation and stress alleviation. However, its ubiquitous presence in human life does not allow the study of social touch deprivation 'in the wild'. Nevertheless, COVID-19-related restrictions such as social distancing allowed the systematic study of the degree to which social distancing affects tactile experiences and mental health. In this study, 1746 participants completed an online survey to examine intimate, friendly and professional touch experiences during COVID-19-related restrictions, their impact on mental health and the extent to which touch deprivation results in craving touch. We found that intimate touch deprivation during COVID-19-related restrictions is associated with higher anxiety and greater loneliness even though this type of touch is still the most experienced during the pandemic. Moreover, intimate touch is reported as the type of touch most craved during this period, thus being more prominent as the days practising social distancing increase. However, our results also show that the degree to which individuals crave touch during this period depends on individual differences in attachment style: the more anxiously attached, the more touch is craved; with the reverse pattern for avoidantly attached. These findings point to the important role of interpersonal and particularly intimate touch in times of distress and uncertainty.

Perceived Social Support and Latent Herpesvirus Reactivation: Testing Main and Stress-Buffering Effects in an Ethnically Diverse Sample of Adults

OBJECTIVE

Perceived social support is consistently associated with physical health outcomes, and one potential physiological mechanism underlying this association is immune function. In this study, we tested both the main and stress-buffering effects of perceived social support on cellular immunity measured via latent herpesvirus reactivation.

METHODS

Data were collected from a community-based sample of 1443 ethnically diverse adults between the ages of 25 and 90 years. Participants self-reported measures of perceived social support, stressful life events, daily hassles, and perceived stress, and provided a blood sample to assess antibody titers to the herpes simplex virus type 1 and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

RESULTS

In accordance with the main effect hypothesis, results indicated that perceived social support was directly associated with EBV viral capsid antigen antibody titers (β = -0.06, 95% confidence interval = -0.12 to -0.01, p = .029). Perceived social support, however, did not interact with stressful life events, daily hassles, or perceived stress to influence latent herpesvirus reactivation (p values > .05). Neither race/ethnicity nor age moderated any of the interactions between perceived social support and the stress measures on latent herpesvirus reactivation (p values > .10).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the current study supports the main effect hypothesis, according to which higher levels of perceived social support were associated with lower levels of herpesvirus antibody titers.