Social support is embedded in our ties to the people around us, whether the ties are informal or formal. There are different types of social support and due to this, one can make the argument that social support affects and contribute to health. In order to analysis the connection between social support and health in a social network, it’s important to look at the structure and function of social support in order to see the connection to behaviors that contribute to health status. Social support is rooted into our social networks that it plays an important role in how integrated we are to our society and how that plays a role in the health behaviors we choose to exercise. Scholars, who have done researches and studies on this topic, …show more content…
Scholars agree that social support is one large component from the social network that influences both physical and mental health, but they argued that “it is not the only critical pathway” (Berkman and Glass). Beyond social support, they look into the behavior level of a social network that includes four smaller pathway: “provision of social support, social influences, social engagement and attachment, and access to resources and material good” (Berkman and Glass). Social support becomes a smaller part of their argument on how social networks affect health. There are other factors that contribute to behaviors that influences health results and social support become one of the factors. Through the epidemiological studies, they focus on “health-damaging behaviors such as tobacco consumption,” “health-promoting behavior such as appropriate health service,” “medical adherence, and exercise,” and “exposure to infectious disease agents” (Berkman and Glass). These focuses are on how the behaviors are reproduced in order to help determine better ways to address health issues that are a result of the consequences of social interactions between people. Behaviors are often taught and reinforced and then reproduced when it becomes a norm for the
One benefit of having strong social support is, as I mentioned before, having people there for you in tough situations, whatever it may be. The book talked about how elders who have a good social support system show “improved health status, increased moral and self-confidence, reduced depression and anxiety; reduced risk of disability and even death,” among other benefits listed. (Hooyman, Kawamoto, Kiyak. Aging Matters: An Introduction to Social Gerontology) Being able to reduce depression and anxiety just by having a strong support system is great because many
Holt-Lunstad J, Smith TB, Layton JB (2010) Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review. PLoS Med 7(7): e1000316. doi:10.1371/
...an, P., Egerter, S., & Williams, D. R. (2011). The social determinants of health: coming
Social Construct influences the extent in which we are healthy and physically active. It determines how we use health services, recreational facilities and sporting opportunities to our benefits. It also guides our response to health and physical activity challenges and how an individual views health as a social construct.
Wilkinson, R. G., & Marmot, M. G. (2003). Social determinants of health: The solid facts.
The first step in a journey through a twelve-step program is to admit you have a problem. It takes a lot of courage it takes to admit you have a problem. Upon my attendance at Gamblers Anonymous I was able to observe seven very courageous people.
The biomedical model of health has been criticised because it fails to include the psychological and social causes relating to an individual’s medical illness or health, looking only at the biological causes (Giddens and Sutton, 2013). Therefore, sociologists being aware of the impacts of social structure and lifestyle on health have put in various efforts to place the study of ‘the social’ at the core of health and healthcare examination.
Graham (2004) & Taylor (1996), posits that social determinants of health came out of a search for a certain mechanism that allowed people from unique socioeconomic backgrounds to experience varying degrees of health and illness (as cited by Raphael, 2010). This idea takes into consideration that one’s socioeconomic status affect one’s health and pervasiveness of diseases at varying levels. McMullin & Davies (2010), observes, people who have more money, with higher education, and have better jobs tend to live longer and do not get as sick as do those with lower incomes, lower education, and bad jobs Hence, the relationship between social inequality, social determinants of health and poor health outcomes. However, in addition to socioeconomic status, some other social determinants of health include: “social support networks, education, employment and working conditions, physical and social environments, biology and genetic endowment, personal health practices and coping skills, healthy child development, gender, culture, and health services”, (p. 147). They are circumstances in which people usually have no control; they are born in, grow with, live, work, and age with some of these
Although very divergent in their focus, the existing theoretical models seem to have some similarities and differences. This is especially true in regard to their factors of analysis when considering social determinants of health. For example, Krieger’s ecosocial theory encompasses and acknowledges the roles of social and psychosocial processes of disease process (WHO 2010).
This model believes that an individual may be free from disease or physical injury however social factors that surrounds a person will determine their wellbeing. In the social dimension of health a person has to be able to interact with people, such as friends and family. According to Antonia C. Lyons and Kerry Chamberlain (2006) Health Psychology a Critical introduction ‘studies have demonstrated an association between what is called social integration and physical health, including mortality rates’. The skill to be able to build healthy relationships may give an individual a positive self-image. Poor social skills may mean that an individual may become isolated or stressed. If an individual becomes stressed and isolated they will be free of disease as they will be physically and mentally fit, however the stress will contribute to the health status of the individual. According to Charles L. Sheridan and Sally A. Radmacher (1992) Health psychology challenging the biomedical model ‘attributes like strength, health and attractiveness can be helpful in coping with
The literature uses information from many psychological theories to address the way in which programs are being implemented and the multiple consequences of such programs. One popular theory used was social cognitive theory to explain the way in which programs should be developed in order to have an actual effect on the behavior of participants (Tettey, Duran, Anderson, Washington, & Boutin-Foster, 2016). The social ecological model was also referenced in explaining the ties a church has within a community and the levels of which their influence may spread to. It was also used to explain how individuals are affected by their surroundings and creating programs which target multiple levels (Campbell et al., 2007). The health belief model was used to attempt to predict health behaviors of participants as well as what would predict participants acquiring new health behaviors (Campbell et al., 2007).
More attention would be paid as to who contracted communicable diseases and how, as social models seek to identify the social and economic causes behind diseases and then manipulate them. In fact, the decline in communicable diseases is largely attributed to the social and economic changes during the late 19th and the 20th century (such as improved sanitation and sewage systems, increased purchasing power, more nutritious diets, better quality housing and general increases in living standards) (Cockerham; Ferrante). The effects on the patient’s social and mental health would also be discussed (Engel). Meanwhile, a health system using a social model for a non-communicable chronic disease would be better placed to identify and understand the factors that lead people to make unhealthy choices, which would mean that policy-makers could design interventions with the knowledge of the issues and causes, resulting in effective, targeted policies that may prevent others from also making those choices (Borrell-Carrio, Suchman, & Epstein).
Human behavior is a vital component in the sustainment of health and the prevention of illness. For some decades now there has been an increasing attention to the contribution of psychological and social components to improving and changing health. Health specialists have used the help of models of behavior change in order to reduce health risks. Through all these years psychosocial models have been a leading influence in predicting and explaining health behaviors. The most accustomed are the social cognition models. A central principle of social cognition is that people’s social behavior is comprehended by examining their perceptions about their own behaviour
As articulated in this essay, Social support and its effects have a positive effect on individuals across a large variety of settings, both urban and rural as well as across all age groups and different life situations including substance rehabilitation, transition to motherhood and in relationships of abuse. The effects of social support are nearly all positive and include delay on the onset of cognitive decline, improved chance of sobriety, better feelings towards becoming a mother, increased nutrient intake, increased life expectancy and lowered likelihood of mental health issues.
Thoits, P. A. (1986). Social Support As Coping Assistance.. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54(4), 416-423.