title: Multilevel, cross-sectional study on social capital with psychogeriatric health among older Japanese people dwelling in rural areas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There has been increasing interest in the effect of social capital (SC) on health over the last decade both in Japan and internationally. This study elucidated whether components of SC are linked to the psychogeriatric health of older Japanese individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data for 169 eligible older people living in three rural areas were collected. Multilevel analyses were performed to examine associations between general trust, informal social interaction and formal group participation with self-rated health, mini-mental state examination (MMSE), self-rated depression scale (SDS) and general self-efficacy scale (GSES).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our study revealed that MMSE, SDS and GSES were significantly associated with informal social interaction and formal group participation after adjusting for area-level SC. However, we observed no relationship between general trust and health outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that the strategic enhancement of social cohesion and social networks for older people may promote their health and quality of later life.
authors: Department of Public Health, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Motoyuki
authors: M
authors: Yuasa
authors: Shigekazu
authors: S
authors: Ukawa
authors: Tamiko
authors: T
authors: Ikeno
authors: Tomoko
authors: T
authors: Kawabata
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012424:Rural Population; D020377:Self Efficacy; D066270:Social Capital; D012944:Social Support; D035502:Trust
keywords: Japan; general self-efficacy scale; mini-mental state examination; self-rating depression scale; social capital