Health Care

Please use only the attached files to answer the question:

Social support and positive, quality social ties (e.g., family, friends, co-workers) have been shown to correlate with better health (especially mental health). However, social support and social ties may have both negative and positive effects on health for certain groups depending on their social identities (e.g., race/ethnicity, gender, nativity status, etc.). How might social support/ties influence the health of marginalized groups (a specific group or in general)—either in a negative, positive, or both ways?

The Impact of Social Support on Health

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The Impact of Social Support on Health

Social ties or networks are considered as a set of nodes that are tied on certain types of relations among people of a certain social group. Social ties are created from a community interaction state which leads to psychosocial ways that either stimulate or prevent health threats. Social connectedness promotes positive physiological reactions that encourage positive health actions. On the other hand, social ties may lead to the spread of unhealthy social norms. For instance, if a person in a certain social set smokes others can engage in the collective action. Native Americans have suffered great serious health problems that have been linked to their social relations.

Most Native Americans are socially isolated with low social functioning and social support levels. Lack of social resources has contributed to health problems among Native Americans. Embeddedness in social ties has influenced health by processes of social engagement and social influence as well as the provision and access of social support (Alcántara, Molina and Kawachi, 2015). Social ties have buffered the effects of stressful life events that negatively impact mental and physical health. Social issues such as alcohol and drug abuse among the Native Americans have been as a result of social ties. This has resulted in mental health illnesses among Native Americans due to the impact of substance abuse on individuals.

Social integration increases self-identity, and feelings of self-esteem which lead to better health outcomes. Social ties are a source of emotional and tangible support that promote health outcomes. A survey on the Native Americans shows negative social interactions among their communities which has contributed to social strains (Sherman, Skrzypek, Bell, Tatum and Paskett, 2011). Considerably, social strains have resulted in negative functioning and health.  On the other hand, social support can generate a positive impact since it can encourage healthy patterns. Social relations have led to social support which entails emotional support that enables individuals to cope with stressors. In summation, social ties impact interrelated and multiple health outcomes including physical health, mental health, health behaviors, and mortality risks.

References

Alcántara, C., Molina, K. M., & Kawachi, I. (2015). Transnational, social, and neighborhood ties and smoking among Latino immigrants: Does gender matter?. American Journal of Public Health, 105(4), 741-749.

Sherman, A. M., Skrzypek, A., Bell, R., Tatum, C., & Paskett, E. D. (2011). The contribution of social support and social strain to depressive symptoms in African American, Native American, and European American women. Journal of social and personal relationships, 28(8), 1104-1129.