The article by Debra Umberson and Jennifer Karas Montez describes the meaning and influence which social relationships have on human health. The authors reflect the role of social relationships, health outcomes, outline main points and findings in this field of study using numerous researches. During several decades scientists conducted a great number of works in order to find out and define interconnection between social relationships and health. The article is focused on important conclusions made by the scientists and the ways in which achieved knowledge can be transferred into policy.
Sociologists singled out most significant aspects of social relationships which has influence on our health. Social isolation is the feature which means absence of social relationships. Social integration is defined as involving in both formal and informal social relationships, for example membership in a social group or marriage. Quality of relationships consists of emotional patterns of relationships. Social networks define the whole range of social relationships around a person, including its types and strength.
The article was based on numerous evidence and findings gathered from researches of important social scientists. There was a striking evidence which came “from prospective studies of mortality across industrialized nations” which reflected “that individuals with the lowest level of involvement in social relationships are more likely to die than those with greater involvement” (Social Relationships Benefit Health). It indicated double risk for men and women in spite of other socioeconomic factors which influenced on people’s health. Moreover, it was proved that presence or absence of social relationships affects development and treatment of a number of illnesses like cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, cancer, atherosclerosis and some others. Scientists paid much attention to marriage as a social relationship which plays a great role in human health and forms a range of health outcomes. Taking into account incontestable ties between social relationships and health mentioned above the article explained the ways in which these ties function, they are behavioral, psychosocial, and physiological.
Speaking of health behavior, it provides an explanation for death rate and morbidity level in numerous cases in the United States. For instance, substance addiction or excess weight undermine one's health while healthy eating or training strengthen it. The authors of the articles underlined that social relationships are closely connected with health behavior as they can help inculcate important feelings, form norms and rules which influence and control health habits.
As for the psychosocial way, it is based on the complex interaction between such mechanisms as “social support, personal control, symbolic meanings and norms, and mental health” (Psychosocial Explanations). Social support is able to improve mental health, reduce stress impact, develop coping skills and enhance self-control. Then, social relationships increase psychological well-being that positively affects mental health and, consequently, physical health because they are closely connected. But, there is the reverse of the medal, because strenuous and stressful relationships are more likely to promote bad health behavior, heart diseases and mental illnesses.
It is necessary to remember that all individuals have several stages in life and during different periods they experience different social relationships which depend on age, race, gender, society and social status and other aspects which can be temporary or last for a long time. For example, the is an argument that married men get more benefits from marriage than women, more educated people are involved in more social relationships and experience less stress.
Using given article and examined researches it is possible to conclude that there is a great influence of social relationships on human health including both mental and physical health. This knowledge is unique because social ties can affect health and change health outcomes of population during whole life. Policies which base on health improvement by means of promoting and protecting social relationships can lead not only to positive results concerning health but reduce health care costs and increase living standard of the population.
Works Cited
Umberson, Debra; Montez, Jennifer Karas. “Social Relationships and Health: A Flashpoint for Health Policy”. US National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of Health. 2011. Web.
