title: Social Support Mediates Loneliness and Human Herpesvirus Type 6 (HHV-6) Antibody Titers.
abstract: The current study investigated the impact of a severe environmental stressor and the role that declining social integration played in mediating its effect on loneliness and immune status. Increased loneliness and decreased social support in the months following the stressor (storm) were significantly associated with increased HHV-6 antibody titers, reflecting poorer control over the virus. Poorer social integration mediated the relationship between loneliness and HHV-6, even after controlling for nonspecific polyclonal B-cell activation, disease status (CD3+CD4+ cell counts), living arrangements, acute social losses (bereavement), and potential disruptions in social-support resources. These findings suggest that specific elements of social support may explain the oft-noted negative effects of loneliness on the immune system, and generalized to a medically vulnerable population.
authors.affiliation: University of Miami.
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.forename: Stacy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cruess
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kilbourn
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Klimas
authors.forename: Mary Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ironson
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baum
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schneiderman
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Antoni
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