Social Networks, Social Support, and Self-Ratings of Health among the Elderly

Social networks and the support they may provide have been shown to be important determinants of the health of the elderly. This study compares structural and support aspects of those networks in their relationship with self-latings of health among 200 elderly residents of the city of Jerusalem. Perceived social support was found to be a more important predictor of health than were measures of network structure. Further, the relation between support and health was a function of the relation between support and both psychological state and functional status.