Research That Matters (January 17 - 20, 2008)

Purpose: A high level of social capital enhances the perceptions on health and wellbeing among older adults. According Robert Putnam (2000) social capital is a combination of norms such as social support and generalized social trust that are generated through participation in social and communal activities. The literature also suggests that faith-based social activities consist of a significant part of social life for older adults (Sarason & Sarason, 1996). Thus it is important to explore the role both secular and faith-based social discourses play in enhancing the norms of social support and social trust among the older adults. Moreover, the study explores how the norm of social support reinforces social trust among older adults. Availability of social trust ultimately contributes to improvement in perceptions on health and wellbeing. The role of social capital on health perceptions of older adults assume further significance with the impending retirement of millions of baby boomers, which calls for a more community-based healthcare strategies.

Methods: Secondary data analysis was conducted using data from the Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey (SCCBS, 2001). The final sample consisted of 29,233 responses which include both a national sample of approximately 3,003 respondents and a separate sample of more than 26,230 respondents selected randomly from 40 geographic areas spanning 29 states. The structural equation modeling software “EQS” (Bentler 1995) tested the model fit to the data using sample correlation matrices and maximum likelihood estimation method. First, the measurement model was evaluated by confirmatory factor analysis. Four factors were identified; secular social involvement, faith-based social involvement, social support and social trust. The dependent variable perception of health and well-being was used. Second, based on the results of the measurement model analysis, items were aggregated reflecting a common construct to derive uni-dimensional composite scale for the structural model tests (Anderson and Gerbing 1988). Evaluation of structural model fit was assessed via the Bentler-Bonnet Normal Fit Indix (NFI = 0.89), the Bollen Fit Indix (IFI = 0.95), the Comparative Fit Indix (CFI = 0.95), and the Root Mean-Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA = 0.043).

Results: According to the fit indices, the model provided a very good fit to the data. As predicted, the result indicated that social involvement was a significant variable in influencing social support. Faith-based social involvement and social support also significantly influenced social trust, and social trust significantly influenced reported health.

Implications: These findings underline the importance of social capital in perception of health and self-rated health outcomes for older adults. The authors discussed the findings in the context of baby-boomer retirement and the challenges it poses to the healthcare system. The findings also provides a blueprint to highlight the complexities of community based variables that determine health-perceptions among older adults and concludes with suggestions for practice strategies.