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Social ties and susceptibility to the common cold
S Cohen1, W J Doyle, D P Skoner
1Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. SCOHEN@CMU.EDU
JAMA
|June 25, 1997
Summary
Having a diverse social network boosts your immune system, making you less likely to catch a cold. This study shows that more social connections lead to better host resistance against respiratory infections.
Area of Science:
- Psychoneuroimmunology
- Social Epidemiology
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Background:
- Social networks play a crucial role in human health and well-being.
- Understanding the link between social integration and infectious disease susceptibility is vital for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that diverse social ties are associated with enhanced host resistance to viral infections.
- To quantify the relationship between social network diversity and susceptibility to the common cold.
Main Methods:
- 276 healthy volunteers (aged 18-55) participated in a controlled study.
- Participants reported on 12 types of social ties and were inoculated with rhinovirus.
- Outcomes included common cold development, mucus production, mucociliary clearance, and viral shedding.
Main Results:
- Increased diversity of social ties correlated with reduced susceptibility to common colds.
- Individuals with more social ties exhibited less mucus production, improved ciliary clearance, and lower viral shedding.
- These associations remained significant after controlling for various demographic, behavioral, and immunological factors.
Conclusions:
- Diverse social networks are linked to increased resistance to upper respiratory illnesses.
- Social integration represents a significant factor in modulating immune responses to viral challenges.