title: Structural and functional aspects of social support as predictors of mental and physical health trajectories: Whitehall II cohort study.
abstract: Social support is associated with better health. However, only a limited number of studies have examined the association of social support with health from the adult life course perspective and whether this association is bidirectional.
  
  
  
  Participants (n=6797; 30% women; age range from 40 to 77 years) who were followed from 1989 (phase 2) to 2006 (phase 8) were selected from the ongoing Whitehall II Study. Structural and functional social support was measured at follow-up phases 2, 5 and 7. Mental and physical health was measured at five consecutive follow-up phases (3-8).
  
  
  
  Social support predicted better mental health, and certain functional aspects of social support, such as higher practical support and higher levels of negative aspects in social relationships, predicted poorer physical health. The association between negative aspects of close relationships and physical health was found to strengthen over the adult life course. In women, the association between marital status and mental health weakened until the age of approximately 60 years. Better mental and physical health was associated with higher future social support.
  
  
  
  The strength of the association between social support and health may vary over the adult life course. The association with health seems to be bidirectional.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hakulinen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pulkki-Råback
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jokela
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: E Ferrie
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Anna-Mari
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Aalto
authors.affiliation: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Virtanen
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK Clinicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kivimäki
authors.affiliation: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland Department of Public Health, University of Turku, Turku, Finland Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vahtera
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elovainio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D012944:Social Support
keywords: MENTAL HEALTH; SELF-RATED HEALTH; SOCIAL EPIDEMIOLOGY; Social and life-course epidemiology