Is the association between social capital and health robust across Nordic regions? Evidence from a cross‐sectional study of older adults

In: International journal of social welfare, Band 22, Heft 2, S. 119-129

Abstract

Nyqvist F, Nygård M. Is the association between social capital and health robust across Nordic regions? Evidence from a cross‐sectional study of older adultsThe study examined the association between structural and cognitive social capital and self‐rated health among 65‐ and 75‐year‐olds in Västerbotten in Sweden and Österbotten and Pohjanmaa in Finland. Data were retrieved from a cross‐sectional postal questionnaire survey conducted in 2005 and was answered by 3,370 persons, yielding a total response rate of 69 per cent. The association between self‐rated health and interpersonal trust and membership in organisations was tested by logistic regression analysis. The results showed that older adults in Västerbotten in Sweden experienced better self‐rated health than in Finland. Furthermore, interpersonal trust and active membership in organisations were associated with self‐rated health among 65‐ and 75‐year olds even after having controlled for the influence of region. We therefore conclude that the association between social capital and self‐rated health tends to be robust across contextually similar regions, but that further analyses are warranted in order to clarify the nature of this relationship.Key Practitioner Message: •Health status can be indirectly strengthened through investments in social capital, such as group participation and active networks; •When working with older adults, more focus needs to be put on how to develop trustful relationships; •The Nordic welfare state, with its universal and subsidised social and health care services, has an indirect and positive effect on health among older adults.