Everyone has a contribution to make. People facing life challenges can open our hearts and remind us of our own vulnerability.
|
|
|
|
James S. House, PhD. Director, Survey Research Center and Professor of Sociology, University of Michigan. |
|
|
Psychosomatic Medicine |
|
|
Wed, 05/16/2001 |
This research published in Psychosomatic Medicine, outlines the adverse effects of isolation and loneliness for seniors, individuals living with disabilities and other vulnerable people. It highlights the benefits of relationships with family and friends and the positive impact they have on health and wellness. This research provides an important analysis on belonging, and tracks the positive indicators that are more prevalent when someone is included and participates in their surroundings.
Social isolation has been shown repeatedly to prospectively predict mortality and serious morbidity both in general population samples and in individuals with established morbidity, especially coronary heart disease. The magnitude of risk associated with social isolation is comparable with that of cigarette smoking and other major biomedical and psychosocial risk factors. However, our understanding of how and why social isolation is risky for health—or conversely—how and why social ties and relationships are protective of health, still remains quite limited. Brummett et al. contribute importantly to increasing such understanding, but also fail to capitalize fully on opportunities to contribute even more.
Read the entire article at http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/cgi/content/full/63/2/273
Find related items
