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Original Article
Correlation of Social Network Types on Health Status of Korean Elders
Eui-Young Cheon
Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing 2010;40(1):88-98.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2010.40.1.88
Published online: February 28, 2010

Full-time Lecturer, Department of Nursing, Suwon Women's College, Suwon, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Cheon, Eui-Young. Department of Nursing, 62 Suwonyeodae-gil, Kwonseon-gu, Suwon 441-748, Korea. Tel: 82-31-290-8114, Fax: 82-31-290-8142, astra20@swc.ac.kr
• Received: September 9, 2009   • Accepted: February 3, 2010

Copyright © 2010 Korean Society of Nursing Science

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  • Purpose
    The purpose of this study was to identify the social network types of elders and to identify differences among latent classes by social network.
  • Methods
    The data of 312 elders used in this study were collected from health, welfare, and other facilities and from elders living in the community. The interviews were conducted from July 16 to September 30, 2007 using a standard, structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, one way ANOVA with the SPSS 15.0 program and latent class analysis using Maximum Likelihood Latent Structure Analysis (MLLSA) program were used to analyze the data.
  • Results
    Using latent class analysis, social network types among older adults were identified as diverse for 58.0% of the sample, as family for 34.0%, and as isolated for 8.0%. The health status of respondents differed significantly by network type. Elders in diverse networks had significantly higher health status and elders in isolated networks had significantly lower physical health status on average than those in all other networks.
  • Conclusion
    The results of this study suggest that these network types have important practical implications for health status of elders. Social service programs should focus on different groups based on social network type and promote social support and social integration.
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Figure 1
Characteristics of social network type.
jkan-40-88-g001.jpg
Table 1
Frequency of Social Network Variables for Latent Class Analysis (N=312)
jkan-40-88-i001.jpg
Table 2
Confirmatory Latent Class Analysis (N=312)
jkan-40-88-i002.jpg
Table 3
Characteristics of Social Network Type (N=312)
jkan-40-88-i003.jpg
Table 4
Difference of Health Status by Social Network Type (N=312)
jkan-40-88-i004.jpg

For multiple comparisons, no difference between same letter; a, b, c.

Table 5
Correlations between Social Network Type and Health Status (N=312)
jkan-40-88-i005.jpg

HS=Health status; PCS=Physical component summary; PF=Physical functioning; RP=Role-physical; BP=Bodily pain; GH=General health; MCS=Mental component summary; V=Vitality; SF=Social functioning; RE=Role-emotional; MH=Mental health.

Figure & Data

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    Correlation of Social Network Types on Health Status of Korean Elders
    Image
    Figure 1 Characteristics of social network type.
    Correlation of Social Network Types on Health Status of Korean Elders

    Frequency of Social Network Variables for Latent Class Analysis (N=312)

    Confirmatory Latent Class Analysis (N=312)

    Characteristics of Social Network Type (N=312)

    Difference of Health Status by Social Network Type (N=312)

    For multiple comparisons, no difference between same letter; a, b, c.

    Correlations between Social Network Type and Health Status (N=312)

    HS=Health status; PCS=Physical component summary; PF=Physical functioning; RP=Role-physical; BP=Bodily pain; GH=General health; MCS=Mental component summary; V=Vitality; SF=Social functioning; RE=Role-emotional; MH=Mental health.

    Table 1 Frequency of Social Network Variables for Latent Class Analysis (N=312)

    Table 2 Confirmatory Latent Class Analysis (N=312)

    Table 3 Characteristics of Social Network Type (N=312)

    Table 4 Difference of Health Status by Social Network Type (N=312)

    For multiple comparisons, no difference between same letter; a, b, c.

    Table 5 Correlations between Social Network Type and Health Status (N=312)

    HS=Health status; PCS=Physical component summary; PF=Physical functioning; RP=Role-physical; BP=Bodily pain; GH=General health; MCS=Mental component summary; V=Vitality; SF=Social functioning; RE=Role-emotional; MH=Mental health.


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