Association of Depression and Anxiety with Social Network Types: Results from a Community Cohort Study

Saju Madavanakadu Devassy, Lorane Scaria, Natania Cheguvera and Kiran Thampi
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Saju Madavanakadu Devassy: Rajagiri College of Social Sciences (Autonomous), Kerala 683 104, India
Lorane Scaria: Rajagiri College of Social Sciences (Autonomous), Kerala 683 104, India
Natania Cheguvera: Rajagiri College of Social Sciences (Autonomous), Kerala 683 104, India
Kiran Thampi: Rajagiri College of Social Sciences (Autonomous), Kerala 683 104, India

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 11, 1-11

Abstract: Social networks protect individuals from mental health conditions of depression and anxiety. The association between each social network type and its mental health implications in the Indian population remains unclear. The study aims to determine the association of depression and anxiety with different social network types in the participants of a community cohort. We conducted a cross-sectional household survey among people aged ?30 years in geographically defined catchment areas of Kerala, India. We used cross-culturally validated assessment tools to measure depression, anxiety and social networks. An educated male belonging to higher income quartiles, without any disability, within a family dependent network has lower odds of depression and anxiety. Furthermore, 28, 26.8, 25.7, 9.8 and 9.7% of participants belonged to private restricted, locally integrated, wider community-focused, family-dependent and locally self-contained networks, respectively. Close ties with family, neighbours, and community had significantly lower odds of anxiety and depression than private restricted networks. The clustering of people to each social network type and its associated mental health conditions can inform social network-based public health interventions to optimize positive health outcomes in the community cohort.

Keywords: depression; anxiety; social network types; mental health; India (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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