Major determinants of social networks in frail elderly community residents

Although social networks has been extensively studied as independent, intervening, and moderating variables affecting health, little attention has been paid to social networks as dependent variables. The present research is a longitudinal study which focuses on social networks as the dependent variable. A sample of 3,559 poor, frail, elderly from California Multipurpose Senior Services Project (MSSP) were evaluated in six month intervals over an eighteen month period. The results indicate that life events, sex, ailments, mental functioning, and health habits are significant predictors of the elderly's social networks after six months, and that life events, sex, age, and health habits are significant predictors of the elderly's social networks after twelve months, as well as after eighteen months. Implications for intervention and for further research are discussed.