Gender differences in social support and physical health.

Abstract

A large body of prospective data has accumulated linking social support to health, and most social scientists agree that low levels of support are associated with poor physical and mental health. Unfortunately, most of the research has been limited to White men. When women and people of color are included in the designs, the relationships between social support and physical health are more complicated. Prospective population-based studies provide evidence that low support is associated with increased risk of mortality in women. However, in several studies, results indicated that, for specific age groups, women with high social support have increased risk of mortality. Factors that may contribute to the observed gender differences in the social support-physical health relationship are discussed. Future research should include adequate numbers of women and more sophisticated measures of social support to move the field forward.

Cites (59)

1. Textbook of Medical Physiology
   1966 · Annals of Internal Medicine
2. Social Relationships and Health
   House, James S., Landis, Karl R., Umberson, Debra · 1988 · Science
3. The MOS social support survey
   Sherbourne, Cathy Donald, Stewart, Anita L. · 1991 · Social Science & Medicine
4. Social networks, host resistance, and mortality: a nine-year follow-up study of Alameda County residents
   BERKMAN, LISA F., SYME, S. LEONARD · 1979 · American Journal of Epidemiology
5. Social Support and Health.
   Ross, Catherine E., Cohen, Sheldon, Syme, S. Leonard · 1986 · Contemporary Sociology
6. Assessing social support: The Social Support Questionnaire.
   Sarason, Irwin G., Levine, Henry M., Basham, Robert B., Sarason, Barbara R. · 1983 · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
7. Job strain, work place social support, and cardiovascular disease: a cross-sectional study of a random sample of the Swedish working population.
   Johnson, J V, Hall, E M · 1988 · American Journal of Public Health
8. Life-Span Development and Behavior
   Paul B. Baltes, David L. Featherman, Richard M. Lerner, Orville G. Brim, Marion C. Perlmutter · 1984 · Medical Entomology and Zoology
9. The negative side of social interaction: Impact on psychological well-being.
   Rook, Karen S. · 1984 · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
10. Toward a Theory of Social Support: Closing Conceptual Gaps
    Shumaker, Sally A., Brownell, Arlene · 1984 · Journal of Social Issues

Show all 59 references

Cited by (37)

1. The relationship between social support and physiological processes: A review with emphasis on underlying mechanisms and implications for health.
   Uchino, Bert N., Cacioppo, John T., Kiecolt-Glaser, Janice K. · 1996 · Psychological Bulletin
2. Social support and patient adherence to medical treatment: a meta-analysis.
   DiMatteo, M. Robin · 2004 · Health Psychology
3. “Social Support: A Review”
   Taylor, Shelley E. · 2012 · The Oxford Handbook of Health Psychology
4. Social Support and Strain from Partner, Family, and Friends: Costs and Benefits for Men and Women in Adulthood
   Walen, Heather R., Lachman, Margie E. · 2000 · Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
5. A study of teaching presence and student sense of learning community in fully online and web-enhanced college courses
   Shea, Peter, Sau Li, Chun, Pickett, Alexandra · 2006 · The Internet and Higher Education

See all 472