Network Support and Negative Life Events Associated With Chronic Cardiometabolic Disease Outcomes
Stephanie T Child1, Emily H Ruppel2, Michelle A Albert3
1Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts;.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|October 21, 2021
Summary
Negative life events increase chronic cardiometabolic disease risk in young adults. While social support did not mediate this, increased support was directly linked to worse outcomes, highlighting complex relationships.
Area of Science:
- Social epidemiology
- Health psychology
- Public health
Background:
- Chronic cardiometabolic conditions are rising in young adults.
- Negative life events are potential risk factors for these conditions.
- The role of personal network support in buffering stress and mitigating risk is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causal links between negative life events, social support, and chronic cardiometabolic disease.
- To examine these relationships across young and middle-aged adults.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal data from the Social Networks Study (2015-2018) included young (21-30) and middle-aged (50-70) adults.
- Weighted hybrid fixed and random effects models analyzed associations between life events, network support types, and self-reported cardiometabolic diseases (hypertension, diabetes, heart conditions).
Main Results:
- In young adults, the death of a close person and financial difficulties correlated with higher chronic cardiometabolic disease probability.
- More confidants and practical helpers were linked to lower disease probability.
- Increased social companionship, however, was associated with a higher probability of these conditions.
Conclusions:
- Negative life events are significant risk factors for chronic cardiometabolic diseases, especially in young adults.
- Social support did not mediate the impact of negative events on disease risk.
- Paradoxically, increased social support showed a direct association with adverse cardiometabolic outcomes.
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