IU Indianapolis ScholarWorks :: Browsing by Subject "Social networks"

Browsing by Subject "Social networks"

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Associations Between Social Network Characteristics and Brain Structure Among Older Adults
(Wiley, 2024) Manchella, Mohit K.; Logan, Paige E.; Perry, Brea L.; Peng, Siyun; Risacher, Shannon L.; Saykin, Andrew J.; Apostolova, Liana G.; Neurology, School of Medicine
Introduction: Social connectedness is associated with slower cognitive decline among older adults. Recent research suggests that distinct aspects of social networks may have differential effects on cognitive resilience, but few studies analyze brain structure. Methods: This study includes 117 cognitively impaired and 59 unimpaired older adults. The effects of social network characteristics (bridging/bonding) on brain regions of interests were analyzed using linear regressions and voxel-wise multiple linear regressions of gray matter density. Results: Increased social bridging was associated with greater bilateral amygdala volume and insular thickness, and left frontal lobe thickness, putamen, and thalamic volumes. Increased social bonding was associated with greater bilateral medial orbitofrontal and caudal anterior cingulate thickness, as well as right frontal lobe thickness, putamen, and amygdala volumes. Discussion: The associations between social connectedness and brain structure vary depending on the types of social enrichment accessible through social networks, suggesting that psychosocial interventions could mitigate neurodegeneration. Highlights: Distinct forms of social capital are uniquely linked to gray matter density (GMD). Bridging is associated with preserved GMD in limbic system structures. Bonding is associated with preserved GMD in frontal lobe regions. Bridging is associated with increased brain reserve in sensory processing regions. Bonding is associated with increased brain reserve in regions of stress modulation.
Do subjective or objective cognitive measures better predict social network type among older adults?
(Taylor & Francis, 2022) Roth, Adam R.; Peng, Siyun; Coleman, Max E.; Apostolova, Liana G.; Perry, Brea L.; Radiology and Imaging Sciences, School of Medicine
A large literature highlights the link between cognitive function and social networks in later life. Yet there remains uncertainty about the factors driving this relationship. In the present study, we use measures of subjective cognitive decline and clinical cognitive assessments on a sample of older adults to investigate whether the relationship between cognitive function and social networks is driven by psychosocial factors. We found a consistent link between clinical cognitive assessments and social network type, but no association between subjective concerns of cognitive decline and networks. Participants who exhibited signs of clinical cognitive impairment were more likely to have restricted networks (i.e., smaller networks consisting of fewer contacts, more interconnectivity, and less social diversity) compared to their cognitively normal counterparts, regardless of subjective measures of cognitive decline—both from the participant’s perspective and study partner’s perspective. These findings suggest that neither cognitively impaired older adults nor their network members appear to consciously dissolve social ties on the basis of perceived cognitive decline. However, it remains unclear whether the association between clinical cognitive impairment and social network type indicates the protective nature of social networks against cognitive decline or a subconscious process leading to social contraction.
"Does this Look Infected to You?" Social Network Predictors of Dental Help-Seeking Among Mexican Immigrants
(Springer Nature, 2018-04) Pullen, Erin; Perry, Brea L.; Maupome, Gerardo; Periodontology, School of Dentistry
Compared to U.S. born Latinos, Mexican immigrants (MAs) have diminished health care access and face substantial barriers to accessing needed dental health services. However, little research has examined how MAs social networks shape their use of dental health services. Using data from 332 Mexican immigrants to the Midwest, this research examines the significance of individual and egocentric network characteristics on two measures of dental health service utilization. Findings reveal that network size, network dental service utilization, and the frequency with which MAs discuss acute problems with network ties, positively correspond to use of oral health services. Conversely, embeddedness in networks where ties hassle egos about dental issues and have low levels of dental health knowledge correspond to lower odds of using these services. This research is among the first to use ego network data and methods to examine the ways network characteristics shape oral health behaviors among this underserved population.
Social Network Sensors for Cancer
(Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2016-04-08) Sonsale, Neel
Massive amounts of health-related information is derived from traditional methods including clinical studies. More recently social media has emerged as a complementary source of data, offering valuable insight especially with respect to general trends. Social networks have also been used for the dissemination of health related information and for awareness campaigns. Most previous research studies that use social media are instantaneous studies. That is the studies are based on a snapshot of the data over a given time period. This data is analyzed and the findings are presented in terms of rules, properties or trends. This methodology implies that most of the historical data is lost with the evolution of the social data and a continuum in the analysis of this data is lacking. In this paper, we show that the knowledge extracted from social media data can evolve and that much is to be learned from this evolution over extended time periods. The challenge in extended social network studies is the high volume and high velocity of underlying data. Collecting this information over an extended time period is impractical. Therefore, we propose a methodology that will sense the data and aggregate it over time into useful knowledge for a given subject. We demonstrate the application of this method to cancer data for the Twitter social network. Our preliminary results show that, for instance, cancer patients with critical conditions tend to be more active than newly diagnosed patients. We anticipate that these longtime trends and observations which are derived from social network sensors can improve research and support practical decision making.
Social Network, Surgeon, and Media Influence on the Decision to Undergo Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy
(Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2018-06) Venetis, Maria K.; MacGeorge, Erina L.; Baptiste, Dadrie F.; Mouton, Ashton; Friley, Lorin B.; Pastor, Rebekah; Hatten, Kristen; Lagoo, Janaka; Bowling, Monet W.; Clare, Susan E.; Surgery, School of Medicine
OBJECTIVES: The rate of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) has risen sharply in the past decade. The current study was designed to examine social network, surgeon, and media influence on patients' CPM decision-making, examining not only who influenced the decision, and to what extent, but also the type of influence exerted. METHODS: Patients (N=113) who underwent CPM at 4 Indiana University-affiliated hospitals between 2008 and 2012 completed structured telephone interviews in 2013. Questions addressed the involvement and influence of the social network (family, friends, and nonsurgeon health professionals), surgeon, and media on the CPM decision. RESULTS: Spouses, children, family, friends, and health professionals were reported as exerting a meaningful degree of influence on patients' decisions, largely in ways that were positive or neutral toward CPM. Most surgeons were regarded as providing options rather than encouraging or discouraging CPM. Media influence was present, but limited. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who choose CPM do so with influence and support from members of their social networks. Reversing the increasing choice of CPM will require educating these influential others, which can be accomplished by encouraging patients to include them in clinical consultations, and by providing patients with educational materials that can be shared with their social networks. Surgeons need to be perceived as having an opinion, specifically that CPM should be reserved for those patients for whom it is medically indicated.
Social Networks and Cognitive Reserve: Network Structure Moderates the Association Between Amygdalar Volume and Cognitive Outcomes
(Oxford University Press, 2022) Perry, Brea L.; Roth, Adam R.; Peng, Siyun; Risacher, Shannon L.; Saykin, Andrew J.; Apostolova, Liana G.; Radiology and Imaging Sciences, School of Medicine
Objectives: The cognitive reserve hypothesis has been proposed as a key mechanism explaining the link between social networks and cognitive function but has rarely been empirically tested using neuroimaging data. This study examines whether social network attributes moderate the association between amygdalar volume and cognitive function. Methods: Data were from the Social Networks in Alzheimer Disease study (N = 154) and Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. Social networks were measured using the PhenX Social Network Battery. Regional data from magnetic resonance imaging (amygdalar volume [AV]) were analyzed using FreeSurfer software. Cognitive function was measured using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and consensus diagnosis. Linear regression analyses were conducted to test the moderating role of social networks on the association between AV and cognitive function. Results: Participants with greater ability to span multiple social roles and subgroups within their networks scored higher on the MoCA after adjusting for sociodemographic variables, depression, frequency of contact, and AV. Social networks moderated the association between AV and cognitive function. Discussion: Among participants who engaged in diverse and loosely connected social networks, the expected adverse cognitive effects of brain volume in regions implicated in socioemotional processing were attenuated. These findings suggest that cognitive stimulation achieved through social interaction with a diverse array of social relationships across multiple contexts may help promote cognitive reserve.
Talking about Teeth: Egocentric Networks and Oral Health Outcomes in a Mexican American Immigrant Community
(Emerald Publishing Limited, 2019) Pullen, Erin; Perry, Brea L.; Maupome, Gerardo
Latinos in the United States have poor outcomes for periodontal and dental health. However, a detailed description of the mechanisms driving these patterns has only recently started to be addressed in the literature. In the current study, we explore relationships between individual-level characteristics of Mexican immigrants, properties of their networks, and experiences of dental problems. Specifically, using data from an urban community of Mexican immigrants to the American Midwest (n = 332), this study examines how characteristics of oral health matters (OHM) discussion networks and individual-level sociodemographic characteristics are associated with four adverse oral health outcomes. The results provide strong support for relationships between immigrants' network characteristics and dental problems. We find that people with more dental problems talk about these issues more frequently with network ties. Conversely, stronger relationships with OHM discussion networks, as measured by mean closeness, are predictive of fewer dental problems. In addition, we identify a link between perceptions of alters' knowledge about teeth, mouth, and gums and egos reporting better oral health outcomes. The observed patterns are suggestive of mechanisms of social influence that are well replicated in the social, medical, and public health literatures, but that have seldom been empirically tested in the domain of oral health. Though preliminary, our findings suggest a potential explanatory role for social networks in some of the most important questions and problems in oral health disparities research. In all, our findings suggest that social network members are active participants in the management and response to oral health problems in this immigrant group and should be considered an important factor in the development and course of diseases.
The Informal Safety Net: Social Network Activation among Hispanic Immigrants during COVID-19
(Sage, 2023) Smith, Nicholas C.; Brooks, Caroline V.; Ekl, Emily A.; García, Melissa J.; Ambriz, Denise; Maupomé, Gerardo; Perry, Brea L.
During times of crisis, individuals may activate members of their social networks to fulfill critical support functions. However, factors that may facilitate or inhibit successful network activation are not fully understood, particularly for structurally marginalized populations. This study examines predictors of network activation among recent and established Hispanic immigrants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, using unique, longitudinal data from the VidaSana study and its supplemental survey, the COVID-19 Rapid Response study (N = 400), we ask: How are COVID-related stressors associated with goal-oriented network activation (e.g., health-focused activation) among Hispanic immigrants? How might structural and compositional characteristics of social networks facilitate or inhibit successful network activation during COVID-19? Results align with theories of network activation (i.e., functional specificity) that imply that individuals engage in selective and deliberate activation of networks. That is, we observe a congruency between COVID-related stressors and social network characteristics, and distinct types of network activation. Moreover, we find that respondents experiencing pandemic-induced economic difficulties engage in activation for financial assistance only if they are embedded in a higher-educated network. We discuss the implications of these findings and provide recommendations for future research.
Why the cognitive "fountain of youth" may be upstream: Pathways to dementia risk and resilience through social connectedness
(Wiley, 2022) Perry, Brea L.; McConnell, Will R.; Coleman, Max E.; Roth, Adam R.; Peng, Siyun; Apostolova, Liana G.; Neurology, School of Medicine
Research suggests social connectedness may help older adults with dementia maintain cognitive functionality and quality of life. However, little is known about its specific social and biological mechanisms. This paper proposes two pathways through social bridging (i.e., cognitive enrichment through expansive social networks) and bonding (i.e., neuroendocrine benefits of integration in cohesive social networks). We provide preliminary evidence for these pathways using neuroimaging, cognitive, and egocentric social network data from the Social Networks and Alzheimer's Disease (SNAD) study (N = 280). We found that network size, density, and presence of weak ties (i.e., social bridging) moderated the association between brain atrophy and cognitive function, while marriage/cohabitation (i.e., social bonding) moderated the association between perceived stress and cognitive function. We argue that social connectedness may have downstream implications for multiple pathophysiological processes in cognitive aging, even negating existing structural damage to the brain, making it a strong candidate for clinical or policy intervention.

Browsing by Subject "Social networks"

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