Social integration and healthy aging among U.S. women.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Social integration has been related to risk of chronic diseases and mental health conditions.

Purpose

We investigated the association between social integration in midlife with subsequent health and well-being in aging.

Methods

We included women from the Nurses' Health Study in the United States, who had no major chronic diseases in 1996 when we assessed social integration, using the Berkman-Syme Social Network Index. We defined healthy aging after 16 years of follow-up, when women ranged from 66 to 91 years, on the basis of survival along with 4 health criteria, assessed in 2012: no history of major chronic disease diagnosis, no self-reported impairment in memory, and no major impairments in physical function or mental health.

Results

Of the 41,013

SUBMITTER: Li S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5840846 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature