Health Education Research, Vol. 14, No. 4, 447-451,
August 1999
© 1999 Oxford University Press
Editorial |
Social ties and health promotion: suggestions for population-based research
Department of Psychosocial Sciences and Research Centre for Health Promotion University of Bergen Bergen Norway
Our interactions with family, friends, neighbours and co-workers have pervasive effects on how we feel and function. Accordingly, a priority for health promotion is the strengthening of positive social ties. The anticipated benefits are better functioning individuals, families, neighbourhoods and work groups, and improved mental and physical health. Yet, there is a large gap between this ideal and knowledge about how to achieve it. Too little is known at present about the processes involved in the social ties/health connection, though research is proceeding on diverse fronts (Henderson, 1992
; Rook, 1994; Okun and Keith, 1998). If disconnected research efforts could become more complementary and reinforcing, knowledge development might move forward at a faster pace.
Two research streams hold particular promise in this regard. One of these has its locus in epidemiology and focuses on supportive social ties as positive influences on health. The other has its locus in
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