Social Capital and Health

Social Capital and Health
Author: Ichiro Kawachi
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 295
Release: 2008
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0387713107

As interest in social capital has grown over the past decade—particularly in public health —so has the lack of consensus on exactly what it is and what makes it worth studying. Ichiro Kawachi, a widely respected leader in the field, and 21 contributors (including physicians, economists, and public health experts) discuss the theoretical origins of social capital, the strengths and limitations of current methodologies of measuring it, and salient examples of social capital concepts informing public health practice. Among the highlights: Measurement methods: survey, sociometric, ethnographic, experimental The relationship between social capital and physical health and health behaviors: smoking, substance abuse, physical activity, sexual activity Social capital and mental health: early findings Social capital and the aging community Social capital and disaster preparedness Social Capital and Health is certain to inspire a new generation of research on this topic, and will be of interest to researchers and advanced students in public health, health behavior, and social epidemiology.

Social Epidemiology

Social Epidemiology
Author: Lisa F. Berkman
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 428
Release: 2000-03-09
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 9780195083316

This book shows the important links between social conditions and health and begins to describe the processes through which these health inequalities may be generated. It reviews a range of methodologies that could be used by health researchers in this field and proposes innovative future research directions.

Social Determinants of Health in Non-communicable Diseases

Social Determinants of Health in Non-communicable Diseases
Author: Katsunori Kondo
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 328
Release: 2021-11-04
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9789811518331

This book is open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. This open access book is the first compilation that reviews a wide range of social determinants of health (SDHs) for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and healthy ageing in Japan. With the highest life expectancy and the largest elderly population in the world, Japan has witnessed health inequality by region and social class becoming more prevalent since the 2000s. The first half of this volume describes in detail major NCDs, such as cancers, heart and kidney diseases, diabetes, stroke, and metabolic syndrome. The second half, on the other hand, explores various SDHs relating to healthy ageing. All chapters review and focus on SDHs, particularly health inequality associated with socio-economic status and social capital, which are widely addressed in the field of social epidemiology. The book makes the argument that “Health for All” advocated by the WHO should be implemented based on social justice and benefits for the greater society. Public health researchers and policymakers, both in Japan and other nations, will gain scientific evidence from this book to prepare for the coming era as ageing becomes a global issue.

Social Capital

Social Capital
Author: David Halpern
Publisher: Polity
Total Pages: 401
Release: 2005
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0745625479

This work presents an introduction to the concept of social capital - a term which refers to the social networks, informal structures and norms that facilitate individual and collective action.

Social Capital and Mental Health

Social Capital and Mental Health
Author: Kwame McKenzie
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Total Pages: 160
Release: 2006
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1843103559

Why do some areas have a higher prevalence of mental illness than others? This book explores the concept of social capital & its implications for mental health policy. It reviews methods of measuring social capital, analyses the implications of research for future policy developments & makes recommendations for practice & research.

Global Perspectives on Social Capital and Health

Global Perspectives on Social Capital and Health
Author: Ichiro Kawachi
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 353
Release: 2013-07-06
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 1461474647

This book is a follow up to Social Capital and Health (2008), edited by Kawachi, Subramanian & Kim. Global Perspectives on Social Capital and Health provides a timely update on emerging topics in a fast-growing field, and features contributions from an outstanding international team of scholars, selected from a diverse range of disciplinary backgrounds including: social epidemiology, medical geography, social psychology, social welfare and gerontology, pediatrics, political science, economics, and medical sociology. The book is organized in three parts: Part 1. Emerging directions in social capital research. This section highlights novel directions in social capital research. These include: a) novel settings for conducting research on social capital (workplaces, schools), b) new approaches for causal inference in social capital (instrumental variable analysis, twin fixed effects designs); c) cutting-edge directions for social capital research, including studies of the origins of community social capital, the use of social network analysis to investigate social capital, and novel methods for investigating the link between social capital and crime. Part 2. Social capital and health policy. The three chapters in this section highlight implications of social capital for interventions and health policy. Part 3. Social capital and health in global perspective The four chapters in this section look at research on social capital and health from a global perspective. The authors summarize the empirical studies on social capital and health conducted in each country/region, or each population group; discuss how the concept of social capital “translates” across different cultures; and identify challenges and future directions for research.

The Benefits of Learning

The Benefits of Learning
Author: Tom Schuller
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 230
Release: 2004-02-26
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1134335962

How do education and learning really impact on people's lives? The Benefits of Learning is a detailed, systematic and vivid account of the impact of formal and informal education on people's lives. Based on extended interviews with adults of all ages, it shows how learning affects their health, family lives and participation in civic life, revealing the downsides of education as well as the benefits. At a time when education is in danger of being narrowly regarded as an instrument of economic growth, this study covers: * the interaction between learning and people's physical and psychological well-being * the way learning impacts on family life and communication between generations * the effect on people's ability and motivation to take part in civic and community life. Packed with detail from adults' own accounts of their lives, the book reveals how learning enables people to sustain themselves and their communities in the face of daily stresses and strains, as well as sometimes transforming their lives. The book opens up new avenues for debate. It is a valuable resource for education researchers and of particular interest to education policy makers, adult education practitioners, health educators and postgraduate students in education.

Social Capital

Social Capital
Author: Nan Lin
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 298
Release: 2002-05-20
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780521521673

1. Theories of Capital: The Historical Foundation. 3. 2. Social Capital: Capital Captured through Social Relations. 19. 3. Resources, Hierarchy, Networks, and Homophily: The Structural Foundation. 29. 4. Resources, Motivations, and Interactions: The Action Foundation. 41. 5. The Theory and Theoretical Propositions. 55. 6. Social Capital and Status Attainment: A Research Tradition. 78. 7. Inequality in Social Capital: A Research Agenda. 99. 8. Social Capital and the Emergence of Social Structure: A Theory of Rational Choice. 127. 9. Reputation and Social Capital: The Rational Basis for Social Exchange. 143. 10. Social Capital in Hierarchical Structures. 165. 11. Institutions, Networks, and Capital Building: Societal Transformations. 184. 12. Cybernetworks and the Global Village: The Rise of Social Capital. 210. 13. The Future of the Theory. 243. . References. 251. . Index. 267.

Resilience in Aging

Resilience in Aging
Author: Barbara Resnick
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 372
Release: 2010-10-14
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 1441902325

The many significant technological and medical advances of the 21st century cannot overcome the escalating risk posed to older adults by such stressors as pain, weakness, fatigue, depression, anxiety, memory and other cognitive deficits, hearing loss, visual impairment, isolation, marginalization, and physical and mental illness. In order to overcome these and other challenges, and to maintain as high a quality of life as possible, older adults and the professionals who treat them need to promote and develop the capacity for resilience, which is innate in all of us to some degree. The purpose of this book is to provide the current scientific theory, clinical guidelines, and real-world interventions with regard to resilience as a clinical tool. To that end, the book addresses such issues as concepts and operationalization of resilience; relevance of resilience to successful aging; impact of personality and genetics on resilience; relationship between resilience and motivation; relationship between resilience and survival; promoting resilience in long-term care; and the lifespan approach to resilience. By addressing ways in which the hypothetical and theoretical concepts of resilience can be applied in geriatric practice, Resilience in Aging provides inroads to the current knowledge and practice of resilience from the perspectives of physiology, psychology, culture, creativity, and economics. In addition, the book considers the impact of resilience on critical aspects of life for older adults such as policy issues (e.g., nursing home policies, Medicare guidelines), health and wellness, motivation, spirituality, and survival. Following these discussions, the book focuses on interventions that increase resilience. The intervention chapters include case studies and are intended to be useful at the clinical level. The book concludes with a discussion of future directions in optimizing resilience in the elderly and the importance of a lifespan approach to aging.

Medical Sociology on the Move

Medical Sociology on the Move
Author: William C. Cockerham
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 271
Release: 2013-04-03
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9400761937

This book provides readers with a single source reviewing and updating sociological theory in medical or health sociology. The book not only addresses the major theoretical approaches in the field today, it also identifies the future directions these theories are likely to take in explaining the social processes affecting health and disease. Many of the chapters are written by leading medical sociologists who feature the use of theory in their everyday work, including contributions from the original theorists of fundamental causes, health lifestyles, and medicalization. Theories focusing on both agency and structure are included to provide a comprehensive account of this important area in medical sociology.