Individual-level measures of social capital as predictors of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: a population-based prospective study of men and women in Finland.
Individual-level social capital was assessed for prediction of mortality in a nationally representative study population aged 30-99 years at the baseline. A total of 90% of the original sample had participated in a comprehensive health examination (Mini-Finland Health Survey) in 1978-1980. After the first 5 years of the 24-year follow-up period, 1,196 of 3,014 men and 1,280 of 3,689 women died. Individual-level social capital was determined by factor analysis that revealed three factors: residential stability, leisure participation and interpersonal trust. Factor analysis showed a gender difference in leisure social participation. All-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality were analyzed using Cox proportional hazard models. Adjusted for demographic, life style and biological risk factors, and for health and socio-economic status, leisure participation was associated with reduced all-cause mortality in men (hazard ratio, HR: 0.94; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.89-1.00). This association seems to be related to economic status in men. Age modifies the effect of interpersonal trust on all-cause mortality in men. In women, leisure participation (HR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.91-1.00) and interpersonal trust (HR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.51-0.93) predicted all-cause mortality, and the latter also cardiovascular mortality (HR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.86-1.00). The associations between individual-level social capital and mortality are gender- and age-related. Understanding the gender and age perspectives appears to be essential for better insight into the interrelations between social capital and health.
Hyyppä
Markku T
MT
Department of Health and Functional Capacity, National Public Health Institute, Peltolantie 3, Turku 20720, Finland. markku.hyyppa@ktl.fi
Mäki
Juhani
J
Impivaara
Olli
O
Aromaa
Arpo
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012944:Social Support