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Social relationships and allostatic load in the MIDUS study
Kathryn P Brooks1, Tara Gruenewald2, Arun Karlamangla3
1Department of Psychology.
Summary
Social relationships impact biological risk. Negative interactions increase allostatic load (AL), a measure of bodily wear, while positive spousal support lowers it, with age influencing these effects.
Area of Science:
- Social epidemiology
- Psychoneuroimmunology
- Health disparities
Background:
- The social environment significantly influences health outcomes.
- Allostatic load (AL) quantifies cumulative biological risk across multiple systems.
- Understanding the interplay between social factors and biological risk is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between the social environment and allostatic load (AL).
- To examine how different aspects of social relationships (support, negativity, contact) relate to biological risk.
- To explore age-related variations in these associations.
Main Methods:
- A national sample of 949 adults (34-84 years) provided data on social relationships at two time points, 10 years apart.
- Allostatic load (AL) was calculated using biological measures of autonomic, HPA axis, cardiovascular, inflammatory, and metabolic function.
- Generalized estimating equations analyzed associations between social relationship aspects and AL, controlling for covariates.
Main Results:
- Higher spouse and family negativity, and greater friend/network contact, correlated with increased AL.
- Greater spouse support was linked to lower AL.
- Age-related differences were observed: friend/network support increased AL in older adults, while network negativity affected younger adults more.
Conclusions:
- Structural and functional social environment aspects are demonstrably linked to allostatic load.
- The impact of social relationships on biological risk is nuanced, varying by relationship type and individual age.
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