Social Support Networks and Loneliness Across Racial/Ethnic Groups
Author Information
Author(s): Burack Orah, Mak Wingyun
Primary Institution: The New Jewish Home, New York, New York, United States
Hypothesis
Do visits with different types of social support providers impact loneliness differently across racial/ethnic groups?
Conclusion
The study found that different types of social support providers have varying impacts on loneliness among different racial/ethnic groups.
Supporting Evidence
- Less loneliness was significantly related to more visits from siblings and friends for Whites.
- Friends' visits were linked to less loneliness for Hispanics.
- Black subjects showed trends for children, siblings, and friends impacting loneliness.
Takeaway
Having friends and siblings visit can make people feel less lonely, but this effect can be different depending on your race.
Methodology
The study used hierarchical linear regressions to analyze the relationship between loneliness and frequency of visits from different social support providers.
Participant Demographics
Participants were community dwelling adults age 45+ years, with a majority identifying as White non-Hispanic.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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