title: Individual social capital and survival: a population study with 5-year follow-up.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The concept of social capital has received increasing attention as a determinant of population survival, but its significance is uncertain. We examined the importance of social capital on survival in a population study while focusing on gender differences.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from a Danish regional health survey with a five-year follow-up period, 2007-2012 (n = 9288, 53.5% men, 46.5% women). We investigated the association between social capital and all-cause mortality, performing separate analyses on a composite measure as well as four specific dimensions of social capital while controlling for covariates. Analyses were performed with Cox proportional hazard models by which hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For women, higher levels of social capital were associated with lower all-cause mortality regardless of age, socioeconomic status, health, and health behaviour (HR = 0.586, 95% CI = 0.421-0.816) while no such association was found for men (HR = 0.949, 95% CI = 0.816-1.104). Analysing the specific dimensions of social capital, higher levels of trust and social network were significantly associated with lower all-cause mortality in women (HR = 0.827, 95% CI = 0.750-0.913 and HR = 0.832, 95% CI = 0.729-0.949, respectively). For men, strong social networks were associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 1.132, 95% CI = 1.017-1.260). Civic engagement had a similar effect for both men (HR = 0.848, 95% CI = 0.722-0.997) and women (HR = 0.848, 95% CI = 0.630-1.140).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found differential effects of social capital in men compared to women. The predictive effects on all-cause mortality of four specific dimensions of social capital varied. Gender stratified analysis and the use of multiple indicators to measure social capital are thus warranted in future research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science and Technology, Public Health and Epidemiology, Aalborg University, Niels Jernes Vej 14, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark. lindaejlskov@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ejlskov
authors.forename: Rikke N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Mortensen
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Overgaard
authors.forename: Line R B U
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vardinghus-Nielsen
authors.forename: Stella R J
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Kræmer
authors.forename: Mads
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wissenberg
authors.forename: Steen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Torp-Pedersen
authors.forename: Claus D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Hansen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012306:Risk; D012737:Sex Factors; D066270:Social Capital; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D035502:Trust; D055815:Young Adult