Social Relationships, Wealth, and Cardiometabolic Risk: Evidence from a National Longitudinal Study of U.S. Older Adults.

TitleSocial Relationships, Wealth, and Cardiometabolic Risk: Evidence from a National Longitudinal Study of U.S. Older Adults.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2022
AuthorsShartle, K, Yang, YClaire, Richman, LS, Belsky, DW, Aiello, AE, Harris, KMullan
JournalJournal of Aging and Health
Volume34
Issue6-8
Pagination1048-1061
ISSN Number1552-6887
Keywordscardiometabolic risk, Social Relationships, Trajectories, Wealth
Abstract

To investigate multiple dimensions of social relationships related to biomarkers of cardiometabolic health and how their associations vary by wealth in older adults. Growth curve models were used to investigate the longitudinal associations between measures of both positive and negative social relationships and cardiometabolic risk (CMR) over a 10-year period from 2006 to 2016 and the moderation of this association by wealth in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Older adults with better social relationships had lower CMR on average. The protective effects of positive social relationships, however, waned at older ages, particularly for low-wealth individuals. Our results suggest that good social relationships promote healthy aging by buffering against harmful cardiometabolic consequences of psychosocial stress, particularly among relatively wealthy individuals. Efforts to improve old age health would be more effective when focusing simultaneously on fostering social connections and boosting financial resources.

DOI10.1177/08982643221087807
Citation Key12385
PubMed ID35481380
PubMed Central IDPMC9489644