title: Confidant network types and well-being among older europeans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To derive a typology of confidant networks among older adults in Europe and to examine them in relation to country differences and well-being (CASP-12).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population was composed of persons aged 65 and older in 16 countries from the 4th wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (N = 28,697). K-means cluster analysis was applied to data from a newly implemented name-generating network inventory. CASP-12 scores were regressed on network type controlling for country and potential sociodemographic and health confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six prototypical confidant network types were discerned, including proximal and distal family-based networks of varying configurations, as well as friend-based and other-based network types. Regional country differences in network type constellations were observed. Better well-being was found to be associated with network types with greater social capital. Respondents with no named confidants had the lowest CASP-12 scores, and those embedded in "other" network types also exhibited a negative association with well-being.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study demonstrates the utility of name-generating network inventories in understanding the social capital of older persons. It also shows that accessible family ties are strong correlates of well-being in this population. Finally, it documents the importance of improving the means to detect the small but significant subgroup of isolated older people-those who have no confidants on whom they may rely.
authors.affiliation: Israel Gerontological Data Center, Paul Baerwald School of Social Work, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. howie.litwin@mail.huji.ac.il.
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Litwin
authors.affiliation: Israel Gerontological Data Center, Paul Baerwald School of Social Work, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Kimberly J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Stoeckel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003153:Community Health Services; D004644:Emotions; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012179:Retirement / Q000523:psychology*; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Family ties; Isolation; SHARE; Social capital; Social network