Social support, volunteering and health around the world: cross-national evidence from 139 countries.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_25EBB6881744
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Title
Social support, volunteering and health around the world: cross-national evidence from 139 countries.
Journal
Social science & medicine
Author(s)
Kumar S., Calvo R., Avendano M., Sivaramakrishnan K., Berkman L.F.
ISSN
1873-5347 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
0277-9536
Publication state
Published
Issued date
03/2012
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
74
Number
5
Pages
696-706
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
High levels of social capital and social integration are associated with self-rated health in many developed countries. However, it is not known whether this association extends to non-western and less economically advanced countries. We examine associations between social support, volunteering, and self-rated health in 139 low-, middle- and high-income countries. Data come from the Gallup World Poll, an internationally comparable survey conducted yearly from 2005 to 2009 for those 15 and over. Volunteering was measured by self-reports of volunteering to an organization in the past month. Social support was based on self-reports of access to support from relatives and friends. We started by estimating random coefficient (multi-level) models and then used multivariate logistic regression to model health as a function of social support and volunteering, controlling for age, gender, education, marital status, and religiosity. We found statistically significant evidence of cross-national variation in the association between social capital variables and self-rated health. In the multivariate logistic model, self-rated health were significantly associated with having social support from friends and relatives and volunteering. Results from stratified analyses indicate that these associations are strikingly consistent across countries. Our results indicate that the link between social capital and health is not restricted to high-income countries but extends across many geographical regions regardless of their national-income level.
Keywords
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Developing Countries, Female, Health Status, Humans, Income/statistics & numerical data, Logistic Models, Male, Middle Aged, Models, Theoretical, Social Support, Socioeconomic Factors, Surveys and Questionnaires, Volunteers
Pubmed
Web of science
Create date
18/10/2021 13:59
Last modification date
04/11/2021 6:40
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