title: Social networks and psychiatric morbidity in New Zealand women.
abstract: A random community survey of urban and rural New Zealand women revealed higher rates of psychiatric morbidity in subjects who reported poorer social support. Substantial differences in social networks were found between demographic subgroups. Rural women described better than expected social relationships, giving some support to the pastoral ideal of well integrated rural communities. Women in part-time employment also described better social networks. Elderly, low socio-economic, and widowed, separated and divorced women had poorer social relationships. It is suggested that normative values for social network measures for each demographic subgroup will need to be established before the clinical significance of deviations from the norm can be meaningfully evaluated. Also, the mechanisms linking social networks to health may vary in different subgroups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, Otago Medical School, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Romans
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Walton
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Herbison
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Mullen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D009769:Object Attachment; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012424:Rural Population; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D014505:Urban Population