Function and Structural Elements of Social Connection Tied to Premature Mortality

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Dec. 18, 2023 -- Both functional and structural components of social connection are independently associated with adverse health outcomes, including mortality, according to a study published online Nov. 10 in BMC Medicine.

Hamish M.E. Foster, from University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom, and colleagues examined associations between functional and structural components of social connection and mortality. The analysis included 458,146 participants in the U.K. Biobank, with data linked to mortality registers.

The researchers found that during a median 12.6 years of follow-up, all social connection measures were independently associated with both all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality. Having friends/family visit less often than monthly was associated with a higher risk for mortality, indicating a threshold effect. Compared with daily friends/family visits and not living alone, there was higher all-cause mortality risk seen for daily visits and living alone, for never having visits and not living alone, and for never having visits and living alone. There was an interaction observed between functional and structural components. Compared with participants defined as not isolated by both components, those characterized as isolated by both components had higher cardiovascular disease mortality (hazard ratio, 1.63) than each component alone (functional isolation: hazard ratio, 1.17; structural isolation: hazard ratio, 1.27).

"We show that separate measures of different components of social connection may contribute different levels of risk of adverse health outcomes, and the combined associations and interactions of the measures examined here suggest that those who live alone with additional concurrent markers of structural isolation may represent a population who could benefit from targeted support," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2023-12-19 02:15

Read more

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords