title: Social networks, information-seeking, and the utilization of services.
abstract: Voluntary participation by low-income and/ar high-risk populations in prevention-oriented human service programs is minimal and dropout rates are high. Examination of social networks as they relate to information-seeking and utilization behavior may provide a source of understanding. Two investigations are reported. The results of Study 1 indicate that high-risk referred women with denser networks attended fewer parent group sessions than did those whose networks were less dense and that the more contact a woman had with her kin, the fewer parent group sessions she attended. The results of Study 2 indicate that in a sample of low-income women participating in a supplementary food program, those women whose networks were characterized by lower density and less frequent kin contact were more likely to pursue professional child-rearing information and advice than women in denser, more kin-involved networks. In addition, a significant interaction between one's sense of competence as a parent and the structure of one's network was found to determine the overall frequency of information seeking.
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012306:Risk; D012649:Self Concept; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support