title: Social network and health outcomes among African American cardiac rehabilitation patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We tested the hypotheses that the number of close social network members and the health-related support provided by social network members are predictive of coping efficacy and health behaviors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional data were collected from 115 African Americans enrolled in cardiac rehabilitation. Measures included the social convoy model, SF-36, the Social Interaction Questionnaire, the Patient Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, and an investigator-developed assessment of health behaviors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bivariate relationships were found between the number of inner network members and coping efficacy (r = .19, P < .05) and health behaviors (r = .18, P < .06), and between health-related support and coping efficacy (r = .22, P < .05) and health behaviors (r = .28, P < .001). Regression analyses support the hypothesis that close network members predicted better coping efficacy (β = .18, P < .05) and health behaviors (β = .19, P < .05). Health-related support also predicted coping efficacy (β = .23, P < .05) and health behaviors (β = .30, P < .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  African Americans with larger inner networks have more health support, better health behaviors, and higher coping efficacy. The number of close social network members and related health-support promote health through health behaviors and coping efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Center for Urban and African American Health, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, USA. aj5802@wayne.edu
authors.forename: Rifky
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tkatch
authors.forename: Nancy T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Artinian
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abrams
authors.forename: Jennifer R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Mahn
authors.forename: Melissa M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Franks
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Keteyian
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Franklin
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pienta
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schwartz
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000208:ethnology / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires