Social Support

Paper Summary:

In the 1800s, Emile Durkheim lectured on the importance of healthy societal relationships in order to promote individual health. But it wasn't until the mid-nineteen hundreds that the importance of social networks and relationships were studied by contemporary sociologists. This paper defines the difference between social support and social networking and studies how both affect the individual's well-being and sense of worth. The paper studies research findings which link low mortality rates to strong social support. It also looks at the benefits of social support and networking to single pregnant women, to the health industry and to schools.

From the Paper:

"Health care workers seem to generally encourage the use of social support and networks to help with the grieving and coping process. However, doctors become less enthusiastic about social support when it enters the realms of alternative medicine. In a study done by Cochran, he found that 62% of doctors think that group meditation and other forms of spiritual healing are not legitimate forms of health care and should not be relied on during times of disease and illness."

More papers on Social Support:

• Research Paper # 104069 : "Social Support and Health"
• Research Paper # 109112 : "Postnatal Depression and Social Support"
• Comparison Essay # 85596 : "Mao's Social Foundations of Communist Support"

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