[Relationship between social network and hypertension in older people in Spain].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association between a patient's social network and hypertension risk in older adults in Spain and to determine whether the nature of the social network is related to a patient's awareness of hypertension, to disease treatment and control, or to adherence to hypertension drug therapy.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study of 3483 subjects representative of the non-institutionalized Spanish population aged 60 years or more. Logistic regression analysis, adjusted for sex, age, educational level, lifestyle and frequency of medical consultation, was used to derive odds ratios (ORs) for associations between characteristics of the social network (e.g., marital status, cohabitation status, frequency of contact with family members, and frequency of contact with friends and neighbors) and aspects of hypertension.


RESULTS
The hypertension risk in married individuals and those living with others was less than in those who were unmarried (OR=0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.67-0.94) or who lived alone (OR=0,75; 95% CI, 0.61-0.93). Men who saw their friends frequently were more likely to be aware of hypertension (OR=1.57; 95% CI, 1.19-2.07). Women who saw their friends or neighbors frequently were less likely to be aware (OR=0.70; 95% CI, 0.51-0.97). No clear relationship between social network characteristics and other hypertension-related variables was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
In older adults, hypertension was associated with aspects of social integration, such as marital and cohabitation status. Among hypertensives, awareness of hypertension was partly related to the frequency of contact with family and friends or neighbors.
Redondo-Sendino
Aurea
A
Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, España.
Guallar-Castillón
Pilar
P
Banegas
José R
JR
Rodríguez-Artalejo
Fernando
F
D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D012944:Social Support; D013030:Spain