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Social network types and functional dependency in older adults in Mexico
Svetlana Vladislavovna Doubova Dubova1, Ricardo Pérez-Cuevas, Patricia Espinosa-Alarcón
1Unidad de Investigación Epidemiológica y en Servicios de Salud Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México.
Social networks significantly impact older adult care. This study identified five types of social networks (TSNs) among older adults, finding that widowed and restricted networks are linked to higher dependency and poorer health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- Social networks are crucial for elder care.
- Understanding social network types (TSNs) aids in policy design for older adults.
- This study focuses on older adults affiliated with the Mexican Institute of Social Security.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify TSNs among older adults.
- To characterize older adults within each TSN, including support and satisfaction.
- To examine the relationship between functional dependency and TSNs.
Main Methods:
- Secondary data analysis of the 2006 Survey of Autonomy and Dependency (N=3,348).
- Types of social networks (TSNs) identified using structural approach and cluster analysis.
- Association between functional dependency and TSNs assessed using Poisson regression with robust variance.
Main Results:
- Five TSNs were identified: diverse with community participation (12.1%), diverse without community participation (44.3%), widowed (32.0%), nonfriends-restricted (7.6%), and nonfamily-restricted (4.0%).
- Older adults in widowed and restricted networks reported higher dependency, poorer self-rated health, and depression.
- Functional dependency was associated with belonging to a widowed network (APR 1.5; 95% CI: 1.1-2.1).
Conclusions:
- TSNs identified are comparable to those in developed nations.
- Novel TSNs include 'diverse without community participation' and 'widowed'.
- Widowed and restricted networks may indicate unmet social security needs for older adults.
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