Older People With More Friends Do Better at Preventive Health

A study published in The Lancet Public Health suggests older adults with larger social networks of family members and close friends may be better at adhering to recommended preventive health screenings and checkups than others, reports Reuters . Investigators polled 5,362 adults born in 1946 in England, Scotland, and Wales about their social relationships 24 times over several decades, until they were 68 to 69 years old. They also reported how often they engaged in recommended preventive health activities, and by the time they were 68 to 69, 2,132 people were still alive and participating, and 44 percent were up to date on all recommended preventive health services and screenings. People who were unmarried or not living with a romantic partner were 33 percent more likely to be lagging on some preventive services and screenings than those who were married or cohabiting. Those with few close friends were 51 percent more likely than those with larger social networks to be behind on preventive health services and screenings. Persons who experienced better quality in their social connectedness from ages 53 to 69 were 7 percent less likely to lag on preventive services and screenings than those who had consistently limited social networks. "It suggests that if we can intervene to get people more socially connected, then there may be benefits for their preventive healthcare use," says University College London's Mai Stafford.