Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.


Science 29 July 1988:
Vol. 241. no. 4865, pp. 540 - 545
DOI: 10.1126/science.3399889

Articles

Science, Vol 241, Issue 4865, 540-545
Copyright © 1988 by American Association for the Advancement of Science


articles

Social relationships and health

JS House, KR Landis, and D Umberson

Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109.

Recent scientific work has established both a theoretical basis and strong empirical evidence for a causal impact of social relationships on health. Prospective studies, which control for baseline health status, consistently show increased risk of death among persons with a low quantity, and sometimes low quality, of social relationships. Experimental and quasi-experimental studies of humans and animals also suggest that social isolation is a major risk factor for mortality from widely varying causes. The mechanisms through which social relationships affect health and the factors that promote or inhibit the development and maintenance of social relationships remain to be explored.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Social relationships at work and depression.
R. De Vogli (2010)
J Epidemiol Community Health 64, 652-653
   Full Text »    PDF »
The Effects of Positive and Negative Support From Children on Widowed Older Adults' Psychological Adjustment: A Longitudinal Analysis.
J.-H. Ha (2010)
Gerontologist 50, 471-481
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Positive and Negative Experiences of Social Support and Long-term Mortality Among Middle-aged Dutch People.
S. Croezen, A. Haveman-Nies, H. S. J. Picavet, E. A. Smid, C. P. G. M. de Groot, P. van't Veer, and W. M. M. Verschuren (2010)
Am. J. Epidemiol. 172, 173-179
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Grandparental caregiving, income inequality and respiratory infections in elderly US individuals.
S. A. Cohen, E. M. Agree, S. Ahmed, and E. N. Naumova (2010)
J Epidemiol Community Health
   Abstract »    Full Text »
The Social Context of Adolescent Smoking: A Systems Perspective.
C. M. Lakon, J. R. Hipp, and D. S. Timberlake (2010)
Am J Public Health 100, 1218-1228
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Do personality traits moderate the effect of late-life spousal loss on psychological distress?.
M. Pai and D. Carr (2010)
Journal of Health and Social Behavior 51, 183-199
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Male Same Sex Couple Dynamics and Received Social Support for HIV Medication Adherence..
J. Wrubel, S. Stumbo, and M. O. Johnson (2010)
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 27, 553-572
   Abstract »    PDF »
Peers for Progress: promoting peer support for health around the world.
R. I. Boothroyd and E. B. Fisher (2010)
Fam. Pract. 27, i62-i68
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Inaugural Article: Mechanisms linking early life stress to adult health outcomes.
S. E. Taylor (2010)
PNAS 107, 8507-8512
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Social networks and health among rural-urban migrants in China: a channel or a constraint?.
Y. Li and S. Wu (2010)
Health Promot. Int.
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Occupational Sex Composition and the Gendered Availability of Workplace Support.
C. J. Taylor (2010)
Gender Society 24, 189-212
   Abstract »    PDF »
The role of collective efficacy in exercise adherence: a qualitative study of spousal support and Type 2 diabetes management.
E. A. Beverly and L. A. Wray (2010)
Health Educ. Res. 25, 211-223
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Family Structure, Family Processes, and Well-Being Among Asian Americans: Considering Gender and Nativity.
E. Walton and D. T. Takeuchi (2010)
Journal of Family Issues 31, 301-332
   Abstract »    PDF »
Social Influences on Health: Is Serotonin a Critical Mediator?.
B. M. Way and S. E. Taylor (2010)
Psychosom Med 72, 107-112
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Recent advances in the analysis of behavioural organization and interpretation as indicators of animal welfare.
L. Asher, L. M. Collins, A. Ortiz-Pelaez, J. A. Drewe, C. J. Nicol, and D. U. Pfeiffer (2009)
J R Soc Interface 6, 1103-1119
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Toward a Dynamic Conceptualization of Social Ties and Context: Implications for Understanding Immigrant and Latino Health.
E. A. Viruell-Fuentes and A. J. Schulz (2009)
Am J Public Health 99, 2167-2175
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Adult Risk Factors for Age-Related Disease: Depression, Inflammation, and Clustering of Metabolic Risk Markers.
A. Danese, T. E. Moffitt, H. Harrington, B. J. Milne, G. Polanczyk, C. M. Pariante, R. Poulton, and A. Caspi (2009)
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 163, 1135-1143
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Social Networks in the NSHAP Study: Rationale, Measurement, and Preliminary Findings.
B. Cornwell, L. P. Schumm, E. O. Laumann, and J. Graber (2009)
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 64B, i47-i55
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Measuring Social Isolation Among Older Adults Using Multiple Indicators From the NSHAP Study.
E. Y. Cornwell and L. J. Waite (2009)
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 64B, i38-i46
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
When Crises Collide: How Intimate Partner Violence and Poverty Intersect to Shape Women's Mental Health and Coping?.
L. A. Goodman, K. F. Smyth, A. M. Borges, and R. Singer (2009)
Trauma Violence Abuse 10, 306-329
   Abstract »    PDF »
What's Closeness Got to Do with It? Men's and Women's Cortisol Responses When Providing and Receiving Support.
A. M. Smith, T. J. Loving, E. E. Crockett, and L. Campbell (2009)
Psychosom Med 71, 843-851
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Marriage Protects Men from Clinically Meaningful Elevations in C-Reactive Protein: Results from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP).
D. A. Sbarra (2009)
Psychosom Med 71, 828-835
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Perceived Level of Life Enjoyment and Risks of Cardiovascular Disease Incidence and Mortality: The Japan Public Health Center-Based Study.
K. Shirai, H. Iso, T. Ohira, A. Ikeda, H. Noda, K. Honjo, M. Inoue, S. Tsugane, and for the Japan Public Health Center-Based Study Gro (2009)
Circulation 120, 956-963
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Marital Status, Marital Transitions, and Body Weight.
D. Umberson, H. Liu, and D. Powers (2009)
Journal of Health and Social Behavior 50, 327-343
   Abstract »    PDF »
Marital Trajectories and Mortality Among US Adults.
M. E. Dupre, A. N. Beck, and S. O. Meadows (2009)
Am. J. Epidemiol. 170, 546-555
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Association of Enjoyable Leisure Activities With Psychological and Physical Well-Being.
S. D. Pressman, K. A. Matthews, S. Cohen, L. M. Martire, M. Scheier, A. Baum, and R. Schulz (2009)
Psychosom Med 71, 725-732
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Social bonds between unrelated females increase reproductive success in feral horses.
E. Z. Cameron, T. H. Setsaas, and W. L. Linklater (2009)
PNAS 106, 13850-13853
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Investigating a four-pathway model of adult attachment orientation and health.
S. W. Sadava, M. A. Busseri, D. S. Molnar, C. P. K. Perrier, and N. DeCourville (2009)
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 26, 604-633
   Abstract »    PDF »
Association between mid-life marital status and cognitive function in later life: population based cohort study.
K. Hakansson, S. Rovio, E.-L. Helkala, A.-R. Vilska, B. Winblad, H. Soininen, A. Nissinen, A. H Mohammed, and M. Kivipelto (2009)
BMJ 339, b2462
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Can We Improve Our Physical Health by Altering Our Social Networks?.
S. Cohen and D. Janicki-Deverts (2009)
Perspectives on Psychological Science 4, 375-378
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Simple Life: On the Benefits of Low Self-Complexity.
A. R. McConnell, L. M. Strain, C. M. Brown, and R. J. Rydell (2009)
Pers Soc Psychol Bull 35, 823-835
   Abstract »    PDF »
Meaning in Life and Mortality.
N. Krause (2009)
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 64B, 517-527
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Social Stress Desensitizes Lymphocytes to Regulation by Endogenous Glucocorticoids: Insights from In Vivo Cell Trafficking Dynamics in Rhesus Macaques.
S. W. Cole, S. P. Mendoza, and J. P. Capitanio (2009)
Psychosom Med 71, 591-597
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Social Capital and Health Inequality: Evidence from Taiwan.
L. Song and N. Lin (2009)
Journal of Health and Social Behavior 50, 149-163
   Abstract »    PDF »
Incarceration and Living Arrangements: Findings From the National Health and Social Life Survey.
A. S. London and W. M. Parker (2009)
Journal of Family Issues 30, 787-812
   Abstract »    PDF »
Understanding the Links Between Social Support and Physical Health: A Life-Span Perspective With Emphasis on the Separability of Perceived and Received Support.
B. N. Uchino (2009)
Perspectives on Psychological Science 4, 236-255
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Neighborhood-Level Cohesion and Disorder: Measurement and Validation in Two Older Adult Urban Populations.
K. A. Cagney, T. A. Glass, K. A. Skarupski, L. L. Barnes, B. S. Schwartz, and C. F. Mendes de Leon (2009)
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 64B, 415-424
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Social Disconnectedness, Perceived Isolation, and Health among Older Adults.
E. Y. Cornwell and L. J. Waite (2009)
Journal of Health and Social Behavior 50, 31-48
   Abstract »    PDF »
The Relationship of Built Environment to Perceived Social Support and Psychological Distress in Hispanic Elders: The Role of "Eyes on the Street".
S. C. Brown, C. A. Mason, J. L. Lombard, F. Martinez, E. Plater-Zyberk, A. R. Spokane, F. L. Newman, H. Pantin, and J. Szapocznik (2009)
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 64B, 234-246
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Challenges in conceptualizing social support.
A. L. Vangelisti (2009)
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 26, 39-51
   Abstract »    PDF »
What a Lifespan Approach Might Tell Us about Why Distinct Measures of Social Support have Differential Links to Physical Health..
B. N. Uchino (2009)
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 26, 53-62
   Abstract »    PDF »
Are social relations less health protective in women than in men? Social relations, gender, and cardiovascular health.
K. Orth-Gomer (2009)
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 26, 63-71
   Abstract »    PDF »
Multidisciplinary investigations recognize high prevalence of co-morbidity of psychiatric and somatic diagnoses in long-term sickness absentees.
P. Salmi, P. Svedberg, J. Hagberg, G. Lundh, J. Linder, and K. Alexanderson (2009)
Scand J Public Health 37, 35-42
   Abstract »    PDF »
Divorce and Death: Forty Years of the Charleston Heart Study.
D. A. Sbarra and P. J. Nietert (2009)
Psychological Science 20, 107-113
   PDF »
Chronic Interpersonal Stress Predicts Activation of Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Signaling Pathways 6 Months Later.
G. E. Miller, N. Rohleder, and S. W. Cole (2009)
Psychosom Med 71, 57-62
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Mental health and resilience at older ages: bouncing back after adversity in the British Household Panel Survey.
G Netuveli, R D Wiggins, S M Montgomery, Z Hildon, and D Blane (2008)
J Epidemiol Community Health 62, 987-991
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Reciprocal Affiliation Among Adolescent Rats During a Mild Group Stressor Predicts Mammary Tumors and Lifespan.
J. R. Yee, S. A. Cavigelli, B. Delgado, and M. K. McClintock (2008)
Psychosom Med 70, 1050-1059
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Social Capital and Health: Starting to Make Sense of the Role of Generalized Trust and Reciprocity.
S. Abbott and D. Freeth (2008)
J Health Psychol 13, 874-883
   Abstract »    PDF »
Spousal Support and Food-Related Behavior Change in Middle-Aged and Older Adults Living With Type 2 Diabetes.
E. A. Beverly, C. K. Miller, and L. A. Wray (2008)
Health Educ Behav 35, 707-720
   Abstract »    PDF »
Household Context and Subjective Well-Being Among the Oldest Old in China.
Feinian Chen and S. E. Short (2008)
Journal of Family Issues 29, 1379-1403
   Abstract »    PDF »
Patient Education Level As a Predictor of Survival In Lung Cancer Clinical Trials.
J. E. Herndon II, A. B. Kornblith, J. C. Holland, and E. D. Paskett (2008)
J. Clin. Oncol. 26, 4116-4123
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Approaching Health Disparities From a Population Perspective: The National Institutes of Health Centers for Population Health and Health Disparities.
R. B. Warnecke, A. Oh, N. Breen, S. Gehlert, E. Paskett, K. L. Tucker, N. Lurie, T. Rebbeck, J. Goodwin, J. Flack, et al. (2008)
Am J Public Health 98, 1608-1615
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Young Adult Romantic Relationships: The Role of Parents' Marital Problems and Relationship Efficacy.
M. Cui, F. D. Fincham, and B. K. Pasley (2008)
Pers Soc Psychol Bull 34, 1226-1235
   Abstract »    PDF »
Understanding Healing Relationships in Primary Care.
J. G. Scott, D. Cohen, B. DiCicco-Bloom, W. L. Miller, K. C. Stange, and B. F. Crabtree (2008)
Ann. Fam. Med 6, 315-322
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Growing Less Empathic With Age: Disinhibition of the Self-Perspective.
P. E. Bailey and J. D. Henry (2008)
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 63, P219-P226
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Mimicking Attractive Opposite-Sex Others: The Role of Romantic Relationship Status.
J. C. Karremans and T. Verwijmeren (2008)
Pers Soc Psychol Bull 34, 939-950
   Abstract »    PDF »
In the Company of Wolves: The Physical, Social, and Psychological Benefits of Dog Ownership.
S. Knight and V. Edwards (2008)
J Aging Health 20, 437-455
   Abstract »    PDF »
Development of Scales Measuring the Capacity of Community-Based Initiatives.
M. Lempa, R. M. Goodman, J. Rice, and A. B. Becker (2008)
Health Educ Behav 35, 298-315
   Abstract »    PDF »
Coping With Spousal Loss: Potential Buffering Effects of Self-Reported Helping Behavior.
S. L. Brown, R. M. Brown, J. S. House, and D. M. Smith (2008)
Pers Soc Psychol Bull 34, 849-861
   Abstract »    PDF »
Coregulation, Dysregulation, Self-Regulation: An Integrative Analysis and Empirical Agenda for Understanding Adult Attachment, Separation, Loss, and Recovery.
D. A. Sbarra and C. Hazan (2008)
Personality and Social Psychology Review 12, 141-167
   Abstract »    PDF »
The Social Connectedness of Older Adults: A National Profile.
B. Cornwell, E. O. Laumann, and L. P. Schumm (2008)
American Sociological Review 73, 185-203
   Abstract »    PDF »
Romantic Relationships and Eating Regulation: An Investigation of Partners' Attempts to Control Each Others' Eating Behaviors.
C. N. Markey, J. N. Gomel, and P. M. Markey (2008)
J Health Psychol 13, 422-432
   Abstract »    PDF »
Modeling the impact of online cancer resources on supporters of cancer patients.
C. E. Beaudoin and C.-C. Tao (2008)
New Media Society 10, 321-344
   Abstract »    PDF »
Social Networks and Incident Stroke Among Women With Suspected Myocardial Ischemia.
T. Rutledge, S. E. Linke, M. B. Olson, J. Francis, B. D. Johnson, V. Bittner, K. York, C. McClure, S. F. Kelsey, S. E. Reis, et al. (2008)
Psychosom Med 70, 282-287
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Cross-National Comparison of Social Support Structures between Taiwan and the United States.
J. Son, N. Lin, and L. K. George (2008)
Journal of Health and Social Behavior 49, 104-118
   Abstract »    PDF »
Personal Resiliency: Serious Diagnosis and Prognosis With Unexpected Quality Outcomes.
H. Denz-Penhey and C. Murdoch (2008)
Qual Health Res 18, 391-404
   Abstract »    PDF »
Targeting Health Disparities: A Model Linking Upstream Determinants To Downstream Interventions.
S. Gehlert, D. Sohmer, T. Sacks, C. Mininger, M. McClintock, and O. Olopade (2008)
Health Aff. 27, 339-349
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Mental Exercising Through Simple Socializing: Social Interaction Promotes General Cognitive Functioning.
O. Ybarra, E. Burnstein, P. Winkielman, M. C. Keller, M. Manis, E. Chan, and J. Rodriguez (2008)
Pers Soc Psychol Bull 34, 248-259
   Abstract »    PDF »
Creating Social Connection Through Inferential Reproduction: Loneliness and Perceived Agency in Gadgets, Gods, and Greyhounds.
N. Epley, S. Akalis, A. Waytz, and J. T. Cacioppo (2008)
Psychological Science 19, 114-120
   PDF »
Does Adolescent Affect Impact Adult Social Integration? Evidence from the British 1946 Birth Cohort.
S. L. Hatch and M. E.J. Wadsworth (2008)
Sociology 42, 155-177
   Abstract »    PDF »
Forgiveness, Feeling Connected to Others, and Well-Being: Two Longitudinal Studies.
G. Bono, M. E. McCullough, and L. M. Root (2008)
Pers Soc Psychol Bull 34, 182-195
   Abstract »    PDF »
Anxiety Characteristics Independently and Prospectively Predict Myocardial Infarction in Men: The Unique Contribution of Anxiety Among Psychologic Factors.
B.-J. Shen, Y. E. Avivi, J. F. Todaro, A. Spiro III, J.-P. Laurenceau, K. D. Ward, and R. Niaura (2008)
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 51, 113-119
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Love: What Is It, Why Does It Matter, and How Does It Operate?.
H. T. Reis and A. Aron (2008)
Perspectives on Psychological Science 3, 80-86
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Is Disturbed Sleep a Mediator in the Association between Social Support and Myocardial Infarction?.
M. Nordin, A. Knutsson, and E. Sundbom (2008)
J Health Psychol 13, 55-64
   Abstract »    PDF »
Stress, Energy, and Immunity: An Ecological View.
S. C. Segerstrom (2007)
Current Directions in Psychological Science 16, 326-330
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Role of Coping Strategies and Social Support in Perceived Illness Consequences and Controllability among Diabetic Women.
P. Awasthi and R.C. Mishra (2007)
Psychology Developing Societies 19, 179-197
   Abstract »    PDF »
Coping and the response of others.
T. J. Marin, S. Holtzman, A. DeLongis, and L. Robinson (2007)
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 24, 951-969
   Abstract »    PDF »
The Weakness of Family Ties and Their Perpetuating Effects on Gender Violence: A Qualitative Study in Mexico.
C. Agoff, C. Herrera, and R. Castro (2007)
Violence Against Women 13, 1206-1220
   Abstract »    PDF »
Negative Aspects of Close Relationships and Heart Disease.
R. De Vogli, T. Chandola, and M. G. Marmot (2007)
Arch Intern Med 167, 1951-1957
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Psychosomatic Medicine: The Scientific Foundation of the Biopsychosocial Model.
D. H. Novack, O. Cameron, E. Epel, R. Ader, S. R. Waldstein, S. Levenstein, M. H. Antoni, and A. R. Wainer (2007)
Acad Psychiatry 31, 388-401
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Social Isolation Affects the Development of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in Mice.
K. Nonogaki, K. Nozue, and Y. Oka (2007)
Endocrinology 148, 4658-4666
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Fundamental Causes of Health Disparities: Stratification, the Welfare State, and Health in the United States and Iceland.
S. Olafsdottir (2007)
Journal of Health and Social Behavior 48, 239-253
   Abstract »    PDF »
Long-Term Payoffs of Work? Women's Past Involvement in Paid Work and Mental Health in Widowhood.
M. Pai and A. E. Barrett (2007)
Research on Aging 29, 436-456
   Abstract »    PDF »
Daily Activities and Survival at Older Ages.
P. L. Klumb and H. Maier (2007)
J Aging Health 19, 594-611
   Abstract »    PDF »
Look (Closely) at All the Lonely People: Age and the Social Psychology of Social Support.
J. Schnittker (2007)
J Aging Health 19, 659-682
   Abstract »    PDF »
Area social characteristics and carotid atherosclerosis.
M Rosvall, G Engstrom, B Hedblad, L Janzon, and G Berglund (2007)
Eur J Public Health 17, 333-339
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Social Neuroscience: Progress and Implications for Mental Health.
J. T. Cacioppo, D. G. Amaral, J. J. Blanchard, J. L. Cameron, C. S. Carter, D. Crews, S. Fiske, T. Heatherton, M. K. Johnson, M. J. Kozak, et al. (2007)
Perspectives on Psychological Science 2, 99-123
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Importance of Different Forms of Social Capital for Health.
S. Ferlander (2007)
Acta Sociologica 50, 115-128
   Abstract »    PDF »



To Advertise     Find Products


Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)