Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
J Aging Health. 2011 Sep;23(6):887-911. doi: 10.1177/0898264311400189. Epub 2011 Mar 11.
To use an ecological model of ageing (Berkman, Glass, Brissette, & Seeman, 2000) which includes upstream social context factors and downstream social support factors to examine the effects of social networks on health.
Postal survey responses from a representative population sample of New Zealanders aged 55 to 70 years (N = 6,662).
Correlations and multiple regression analyses provided support for a model in which social context contributes to social network type, which affects perceived social support and loneliness, and consequent mental and physical health. Ethnicity was related to social networks and health but this was largely accounted for by other contextual variables measuring socioeconomic status. Gender and age were also significant variables in the model.
Social network type is a useful way to assess social integration within this model of cascading effects. More detailed information could be gained through the development of our network assessment instruments for older people.
利用衰老的生态模型（Berkman、Glass、Brissette 和 Seeman，2000），其中包括上游社会背景因素和下游社会支持因素，来检验社会网络对健康的影响。
对年龄在 55 至 70 岁的新西兰代表性人群样本（N=6662）进行邮寄调查。
相关性和多元回归分析支持了这样一个模型，即社会背景有助于确定社会网络类型，而社会网络类型又会影响感知到的社会支持和孤独感，进而影响心理健康和身体健康。族裔与社会网络和健康有关，但这在很大程度上可以用衡量社会经济地位的其他背景变量来解释。性别和年龄也是该模型中的重要变量。
在这个级联效应模型中，社会网络类型是评估社会融合的一种有用方法。通过为老年人开发更详细的网络评估工具，可以获得更多信息。
