Lecture 29 - Social support and health

Question 1

what is social support?

Answer 1

• an individual feeling of being values and cared for by their social network
• how well someone is embedded in a network of communciations and socail obligaiton

-higher social support results in lower mortalbity

Question 2

The 4 differnt types of support

Answer 2

Emotional support is care, love, empathy, encouragement etc.
 Instrumental support includes providing tangible good and services, such as money, groceries, use of car etc.
 Informational supportinvolves providing information/advice to another in a time of need, especially problems solving
situations.
 Appraisal support often included as part of informational support. This involves feedback about the person’s interpretation of
a situation and guidance regarding courses of action.

Question 3

Social support

Answer 3

• personal - friends, relatives, work colleagues
• formal - organsiations, churches, community groups
• professional - doctors, counsellors, nurses

Question 4

How can clinicans support patients

Answer 4

• a patients need for informational support is thought to be strongest through periods of transition.
• emotional support needed, and then guidance can be given to help support needs.

Question 5

What are some good skills from health professionals

Answer 5

• communciation skills
• establishign rapport
• active listening - encourage them to talk

-need to combine emotional support and listening alongside guidence and advice - clear and simple, what will the patient remember, repition, summarize

Question 6

Social support affecting health

Answer 6

-improves adherence to medical treatment
-infleunces health behaviorus and lifestyle (diet, smokgin, drinkign ect.)
-buffers against stress - can cope bettte
r-supprots against psychiatric disorders and cognitive decline

Question 7

Breakdown of social support

Answer 7

• services to minimize hosptial stays
• services to treat at home when possible
• comprehensive geriatric assessment

-try to prevent breakdown of scoial support structures

Question 8

CGA - comprehensive geriatric assessment

Answer 8

• determines a older persons medical conditions, mental health and functioanl capacitiy and social circumstances
• increaes a patients likelihood of being alive and in their home at up to 12 months

Question 9

Downsides to social support

Answer 9

• somties to much can be bad
• some friends and relatives cna act in non-supportive ways
• provice wong emotioanl supprot resultign in increased distres