title: Social networks, social support and psychiatric symptoms: social determinants and associations within a multicultural community population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Little is known about how social networks and social support are distributed within diverse communities and how different types of each are associated with a range of psychiatric symptoms. This study aims to address such shortcomings by: (1) describing the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of social networks and social support in a multicultural population and (2) examining how each is associated with multiple mental health outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data is drawn from the South East London Community Health Study; a cross-sectional study of 1,698 adults conducted between 2008 and 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings demonstrate variation in social networks and social support by socio-demographic factors. Ethnic minority groups reported larger family networks but less perceived instrumental support. Older individuals and migrant groups reported lower levels of particular network and support types. Individuals from lower socioeconomic groups tended to report less social networks and support across the indicators measured. Perceived emotional and instrumental support, family and friend network size emerged as protective factors for common mental disorder, personality dysfunction and psychotic experiences. In contrast, both social networks and social support appear less relevant for hazardous alcohol use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings both confirm established knowledge that social networks and social support exert differential effects on mental health and furthermore suggest that the particular type of social support may be important. In contrast, different types of social network appear to impact upon poor mental health in a more uniform way. Future psychosocial strategies promoting mental health should consider which social groups are vulnerable to reduced social networks and poor social support and which diagnostic groups may benefit most.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, De Cresigny Park, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK, natasha.smyth@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Smyth
authors.forename: Chesmal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Siriwardhana
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hotopf
authors.forename: Stephani L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hatch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D060756:Social Networking; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult
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