The effects of social networks on disability in older Australians.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of total social networks and specific social networks with children, relatives, friends, and confidants on disability in mobility and Nagi functional tasks.


METHODS
Six waves of data from the Australian Longitudinal Study of Ageing were used. Data came from 1,477 participants aged 70 years or older. The effects of total social networks and those with children, relatives, friends, and confidants on transitions in disability status were analyzed using binary and multinomial logistic regression.


RESULTS
After controlling for a range of health, environmental, and personal factors, social networks with relatives were protective against developing mobility disability (OR = 0.89; 95% CI = 0.79 to 1.00) and Nagi disability (OR = 0.85; 95% CI = 0.74 to 0.96). Other social subnetworks did not have a consistent effect on the development of disability.


CONCLUSIONS
The effects of social relationships extend beyond disability in activities of daily living. Networks with relatives protect against disability in mobility and Nagi tasks.
Department of Rehabilitation and Aged Care, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100 Adelaide South Australia 5001, Australia. Lynne.Giles@rgh.sa.gov.au
Lynne C
LC
Giles
Patricia A
PA
Metcalf
Gary F V
GF
Glonek
Mary A
MA
Luszcz
Gary R
GR
Andrews
D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005190:Family; D033062:Friends; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D009069:Movement Disorders; D012944:Social Support