A recently burgeoning body of research suggests that social ties increase people's immunity to physical illnesses. Study findings form a conceptual foundation for an emerging social support system theory that includes social network structure, social support content, and behaviors and social conditions involved in mobilizing support. As a result, knowledge about person-environment fit and health status is advanced. Social work has a special opportunity to refine further social support system theory and intervention.
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Kathleen Ell (1984) studied this question.