Social Support

Question 1

Main takeaway from this lecture

Answer 1

Caring, committed relationships, whether with family or friends, are health producing

Question 2

Definition of health

Answer 2

State of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity

Question 3

Looking at the lack of social connections risk (from Brigham Young study)

Answer 3

Equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, being an alcoholic, more harmful than not exercising, twice as harmful as obesity

Question 4

Strongest predictors of likelihood of post open heart surgery survival (from Dartmouth study)

Answer 4

Those who were active in their community, those who found strength and comfort in their religious faith. If both true - 14x less likely to die within 6 months

Question 5

What is social support?

Answer 5

The presence of others or the resources they provide (emotional, spiritual, physical, and financial)

Question 6

Quality of social support likely to impact health

Answer 6

The number of support persons, the availability and access to the support, the quality of the support system (satisfaction gained)

Question 7

Findings from the Alemeda study

Answer 7

The greater the number of social connections, the lower the rate of mortality from ASCVD. A breakdown in social networks resulted in a reversal of the trend.

Question 8

What is the impact of isolation?

Answer 8

Isolation and loneliness create responses in the human body simialr to those of stress

Question 9

Depression and suicide in med students and physicians

Answer 9

Males are 40% more likely to commit suicide, females are 130% more likely. One doctor per day commits suicide. 30-40% of med students will experience clinical depression. 1 in 10 harbor active suicidal thoughts.

Question 10

What is the direct mechanism of social support?

Answer 10

Immune function - nursing study found that women with insecure attachment style had lower immune function.
Increased catecholamine and inflammatory cytokine release.

Question 11

What is the indirect mechanism of social support?

Answer 11

Resources of the strong supportive social network simply buffer the impact of the disease process

Question 12

Perceived usefulness to friends and family

Answer 12

A study asked aging adults between 70-79 how they rated their own usefulness to family and friends. 7 years later, they were evaluated for mortality and other health. Lower mortality and chronic health problems were found in the group that rated themselves high on usefulness

Question 13

Loneliness and the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

Answer 13

Participants rated their level of perceived loneliness for 5 years. Findings: the higher the loneliness rating, the more likely to develop cognitive problems. The loneliest 10% were 2x more likely to develop Alzheimer’s

Question 14

Impact of the internet

Answer 14

55% of people over 65 use the internet and women over 55 are the fastest growing group on Facebook. Social networks do not have the same protective impact as real relationships.

Question 15

Depression and Facebook use

Answer 15

Facebook use increases the likelihood of depression. Facebook use predicts negative shifts on overall life feelings and momentary feelings

Question 16

Singles are less health (British study)

Answer 16

10,000 patients over 10 years. Found that being single carries the same risk to longevity as smoking 1 PPD. Negative effects become measurable around the age of 30.

Question 17

Bridget Jones Effect

Answer 17

Eat less healthy, consume more alcohol, smoke more cigarettes, less visits to PCP, work longer hours

Question 18

Marital health benefits

Answer 18

Does not appear to be related to decrease in undesirable events. Not explained by mere presence.

Question 19

Long term health effects of divorce

Answer 19

Powerful predictor of physical and emotional illness. Same approximate elevated overall cancer risk as smoking 1 PPD. Relative risk for all cancers increased amongst those who have been divorced. Suicide is 3x more likely

Question 20

Impact of marriage on cancer

Answer 20

Married pts were less likely to present with metastatic disease; more likely to receive definitive therapy; less likely to die as a result of their cancer after adjusting for demographics, etc…

Question 21

Healer’s impact

Answer 21

Pts perception that they are cared for has a positive impact on their health. Physicians who interact with patients in a compassionate manner make more accurate diagnoses and produce greater patient compliance

Question 22

Health implications of faith

Answer 22

40% of pts stated religious beliefs were their most important means of handling stress; less mental health issues, lower suicide risk

Question 23

Importance of spiritual history

Answer 23

63% of pts surveyed felt their doctors should ask about their spiritual faith

Question 24

Studies on the health implications of faith

Answer 24

Post-op hip surgical study found that women with a higher level of religious commitment recovered faster overall. One study showed that not a single person reported becoming less religious after being diagnosed with cancer. CV impact/lower diastolic pressure amongst those who rated faith as highly important in their life

Question 25

How does faith help people cope with health related stress?

Answer 25

It provides hope, control, strength, meaning, and purpose.