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The association between social relations and health outcomes is well described, but pathways are relatively poorly understood. Inflammation has been suggested as a potential physiological pathway, linking social relations to adverse health outcomes. However, previous studies have shown ambiguous results and have for the vast majority been based on studies small in sample size. The aim of the present study is to examine the association between comprehensive measures of structural and positive as well as negative functional aspects of social relations, across four relational domains—partner/spouse, children, other family and friends, and the level of systemic low-grade inflammation in a large population-based middle-aged cohort and to examine variation by gender and socioeconomic position in these associations. The study comprised of 5576 participants in the Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank. The inflammatory biomarkers collected in late midlife included C-reactive protein, Interleukin-6, and TNF-alpha. Multiple linear regression models were implemented to explore associations between social relations and inflammatory measures controlling for gender, age, socioeconomic position, marital status, early major lifeevents and morbidity. Results show weak and ambiguous associations in all analyses. There were no strong indications of interaction with socioeconomic position. Concluding cautiously, men appear to be more vulnerable toward living alone and low contact frequency with family compared to women as regards high level of low-grade inflammation. In conclusion, this large-scale population-based study among middle-aged men and women showed no association between social relations and low-grade inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses the associations between annual measures of economic hardship (EH) across 22 years of adulthood and objective measures of early ageing in a Danish late-middle-aged population (N = 5575). EH (years < 60% of the National median equivalized household disposable income) was experienced by 18% during 1987–2008. Four or more years in EH (reference = null years in EH) was related to poorer physical capability (chair rise: − 1.49 counts/30 s [95% confidence interval (CI) − 2.36, − 0.61], hand grip strength: − 1.22 kg [95% CI − 2.38, − 0.07], jump height: − 1.67 cm [95% CI − 2.44, − 0.91] and balance: 18% [95% CI 9, 28]), poorer cognitive function (Intelligenz-Struktur-Test: − 1.50 points [95% CI − 2.89, − 0.12]) and higher inflammatory levels (C-reactive protein: 22% [95% CI 4, 44], and Interleukin-6: 23% [95% CI 10, 39]). Comparing four EH trajectories, people with a high versus low probability of EH over time had poorer physical capability (chair rise: − 1.70 counts/30 s [95% CI − 3.38, − 0.01], grip: − 4.33 kg [95% CI − 6.50, − 2.16], jump: − 1.68 cm [95% CI − 3.12, − 0.25] and balance: 31% [95% CI 12, 52]). No associations were observed with tumour necrosis factor-α. Results were adjusted for sex, age, long-term parental unemployment/financial problems, education, baseline income and cohort. This study suggested EH for four or more years to be associated with poorer physical capability, cognitive function and increased inflammatory levels in midlife. High probability of EH across adulthood was similarly related to poorer physical capability and CRP, but not cognitive function and the remaining inflammatory markers. In conclusion, preventive initiatives focusing on reducing the burden of sustained economic hardship may lead to increased healthy ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well established that socioeconomic position (SEP) and social relations impact physical function and mortality in old age. Due to differential vulnerability, few social relations may lead to greater decline in physical function and mortality among older people with low compared to high SEP. The aim was to investigate whether older people with few social relations experience greater decline in physical function and mortality when also subject to low financial assets? The study population included 4060 older people aged 75 or 80 years at baseline in 1998-1999. Social relations at baseline and physical function at baseline and after 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 years were obtained from questionnaires. Financial assets at baseline and mortality during 10 years of follow-up were obtained from registers. Analyses of the associations between financial assets combined with social relations and decline in physical function and mortality, respectively, were conducted. Among males, but not females, low financial assets and few social relations were associated with the greatest decline in physical function. Yet, interaction only reached significance between financial assets and visits. Among males and females, low financial assets and few social relations were associated with the highest mortality. Interactions only reached significance between financial assets and visits for females and social activity for males. In conclusion, few social relations implied greater decline in physical function among older males and higher mortality among older males and females with low financial assets; however, the study only supports the presence of differential vulnerability for visits and social activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate if social inequality in onset of mobility limitations is present in early midlife, and to examine whether common determinants of disability account for social status differences in onset of mobility limitations in midlife. 3,586 40-and 50-year-old Danish men and women enrolled in The Danish Longitudinal Study on Work, Unemployment and Health constituted the study population. Data were collected by mailed questionnaires in 2000 and 2006. Limitations in running 100 m and in climbing two flights of stairs represented two aspects of mobility limitations. Occupational social class was applied as a measure of socioeconomic position. Among individuals reporting no limitations in 2000 social gradients in onset of mobility limitations emerged in 2006. Having a low social class at age 40 and 50 respectively was associated with higher onset of mobility limitations 6 years later, and this association was overall only partly explained by common determinants of disability: smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, body mass index, and chronic diseases. These results indicate that the development of mobility limitations might begin earlier in lower compared to higher social strata, and that social status differences in mobility limitations might emerge already in the forties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the last 10 years, there has been a growing interest in the importance of social capital and older people. The aims of the study are to advance measurements of aspects of social capital based on bonding, bridging and linking that can be used to study the impact of the local community on community-dwelling older populations and to study the distribution of these three measurements of social capital in 34 municipalities. Data are from a Danish prospective cohort study on preventive home visits among 4,034 old people 75+ in 34 municipalities in Denmark. The measurements of aspects of social capital at community level are based on theory of bonding, bridging and linking social capital. It has been possible to analyse variations in the three measurements of social capital in the 34 municipalities and to characterize different municipalities according to high versus low social capital. There are interesting patterns in distribution of the three measurements. The two extreme groups of municipalities (high and low social capital) differ with regard to demography, social and structural conditions in the municipalities. We believe that the proposed measures of social capital will be relevant in future studies of social capital and health in older populations, since they are theoretically based and cover different aspects of social capital related to older people and their local community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose was to analyze whether psychological characteristics and social relations in older men and women were related to accepting and receiving preventive home visits during 3 years, when offered as part of a national scheme. The study was based on secondary data from the Danish Intervention Study on Preventive Home Visits in 34 municipalities. The study population included 3,377 men and women who answered questions about psychological characteristics and social relations at baseline, survived and took part in the three year follow-up study. Number of preventive home visits was registered during 3 years in a specially designed software installed in the municipalities. Psychological characteristics were measured by questions on sadness, aggressiveness, life satisfaction, mood, loneliness and sense of coherence. Social relations were measured by questions on cohabitation status, diversity in social relations and social participation. Covariates included age and disability. Older men with poor psychological rating on most of the variables had larger odds ratios of accepting and receiving preventive home visits compared to older men with higher ratings. Older women with poor rating on the psychological characteristics and high social participation had larger odds of accepting and receiving preventive home visits, and women with a strong sense of coherence had larger odds of receiving many visits. It is concluded that psychological characteristics and social relations in older persons seem to influence whether they accept and receive preventive home visits, but patterns of associations are complex and vary for men and women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]