The contribution of social networks to the health and self-management of patients with long-term conditions: a longitudinal study.

ABSTRACT:

Unlabelled

Evidence for the effectiveness of patient education programmes in changing individual self-management behaviour is equivocal. More distal elements of personal social relationships and the availability of social capital at the community level may be key to the mobilisation of resources needed for long-term condition self-management to be effective.

Aim

To determine how the social networks of people with long-term conditions (diabetes and heart disease) are associated with health-related outcomes and changes in outcomes over time.

Methods

Patients with chronic heart disease (CHD) or diabetes (n = 300) randomly selected from the disease registers of 19 GP practices in the North West of England. Data on personal social networks collected using a postal question

SUBMITTER: Reeves D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4041782 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature