title: Social network characteristics associated with health promoting behaviors among Latinos.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the relationship between social network characteristics and health promoting behaviors (having a routine medical check-up, consuming no alcohol, consuming no fast food, and meeting recommendations for leisure-time physical activity and sleep duration) among Latinos to identify potential targets for behavioral interventions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Personal network characteristics and health behavior data were collected from a community sample of 393 adult Latinos (73% women) in San Diego County, California. Network characteristics consisted of size and composition. Network size was calculated by the number of alters listed on a name generator questionnaire eliciting people with whom respondents discussed personal issues. Network composition variables were the proportion of Latinos, Spanish-speakers, females, family, and friends listed in the name generator. Additional network composition variables included marital status and the number of adults or children in the household.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Network members were predominately Latinos (95%), Spanish-speakers (80%), females (64%), and family (55%). In multivariate logistic regression analyses, gender moderated the relationship between network composition, but not size, and a health behavior. Married women were more likely to have had a routine medical check-up than married men. For both men and women, having a larger network was associated with meeting the recommendation for leisure-time physical activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Few social network characteristics were significantly associated with health promoting behaviors, suggesting a need to examine other aspects of social relationships that may influence health behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family & Preventive Medicine, University of California-San Diego.
authors.forename: Becky
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marquez
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego Prevention Research Center.
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Elder
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego Prevention Research Center.
authors.forename: Elva M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Arredondo
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego Prevention Research Center.
authors.forename: Hala
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Madanat
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego Prevention Research Center.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego Prevention Research Center.
authors.forename: Guadalupe X
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Ayala
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002140:California; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005191:Family Characteristics / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006293:Health Promotion; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult