Social contact, social support, and cognitive health in a population-based study of middle-aged and older men and women in rural South Africa

Guy Harling, Lindsay C. Kobayashi, Meagan T. Farrell, Ryan G. Wagner, Stephen Tollman and Lisa Berkman

Social Science & Medicine, 2020, vol. 260, issue C

Abstract: Several theories seek to explain how social connections and cognitive function are interconnected in older age. These include that social interaction protects against cognitive decline, that cognitive decline leads to shedding of social connections and that cognitive decline leads to increased instrumental support. We investigated how patterns of social contact, social support and cognitive health in rural South Africa fit with these three theories.

Keywords: Cognitive function; Cognitive impairment; Social networks; Social support; Educational attainment; Gender; South Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113167

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