Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2005 Jul;59(7):574-9.
doi: 10.1136/jech.2004.025429.

Effect of social networks on 10 year survival in very old Australians: the Australian longitudinal study of aging

Lynne C Giles  1 , Gary F V Glonek, Mary A Luszcz, Gary R Andrews
Affiliations

Effect of social networks on 10 year survival in very old Australians: the Australian longitudinal study of aging

Lynne C Giles et al. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2005 Jul.

Abstract

Study objectives: To examine if social networks with children, relatives, friends, and confidants predict survival in older Australians over 10 years after controlling for a range of demographic, health, and lifestyle variables.

Design: Prospective longitudinal cohort study (the Australian longitudinal study of aging)

Setting: Adelaide, South Australia.

Participants: 1477 persons aged 70 years or more living in the community and residential care facilities.

Main results: After controlling for a range of demographic, health, and lifestyle variables, greater networks with friends were protective against mortality in the 10 year follow up period. The hazard ratio for participants in the highest tertile of friends networks compared with participants in the lowest group was 0.78 (95%CI 0.65 to 0.92). A smaller effect of greater networks with confidants (hazard ratio = 0.84; 95%CI = 0.71 to 0.98) was seen. The effects of social networks with children and relatives were not significant with respect to survival over the following decade.

Conclusions: Survival time may be enhanced by strong social networks. Among older Australians, these may be important in lengthening survival.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

References

    1. Am J Epidemiol. 1982 May;115(5):684-94 - PubMed
    1. J Epidemiol Community Health. 1999 Feb;53(2):83-8 - PubMed
    1. Lancet. 1985 Apr 20;1(8434):915-8 - PubMed
    1. Am J Epidemiol. 1986 Apr;123(4):577-91 - PubMed
    1. J Chronic Dis. 1987;40(10):949-57 - PubMed

Publication types