Guy Harling|Lindsay C. Kobayashi|Meagan T. Farrell|Ryan G. Wagner|Stephen Tollman|Lisa F. Berkman
Social contact, social support, and cognitive health in a population-based study of middle-aged and older men and women in rural South Africa
Harvard University|Africa Health Research Institute|University of the Witwatersrand|Agincourt Health and Socio-Demographic Surveillance System|University College London|University of Michigan–Ann Arbor|Harvard University|Umeå University|University of the Witwatersrand|Agincourt Health and Socio-Demographic Surveillance System|Indepth Network|University of the Witwatersrand|Agincourt Health and Socio-Demographic Surveillance System|Agincourt Health and Socio-Demographic Surveillance System|Harvard University|University of the Witwatersrand
several theories seek explain social connections cognitive function interconnected older age include social interaction protects cognitive decline cognitive decline leads shedding social connections cognitive decline leads increased instrumental support investigated patterns social contact social support cognitive health rural south africa fit three theories used data baseline health aging africa longitudinal study indepth community south africa haalsi populationbased study 5059 individuals aged 40 years evaluated range egocentric social connectedness measures varied respondents cognitive function found respondents lower cognitive function smaller denser social networks local kinbased peers lower cognitive function associated receipt less social support generally difference stronger emotional informational support financial physical support impairment associated greater differences among aged 4059 versus educational attainment patterns found suggest cognitively impaired older adults setting rely core social networks support theories relating social connectedness cognitive function developed higherincome highereducation settings may also apply lowerresource settings elsewhere