Personal Social Networks in Later-Life Alcohol and Cigarette Use

Abstract

Objectives

This study examines the social network factors that influence health risk behaviors – specifically cigarette use and alcohol consumption – over time in a sample of older adults in the United States. Methods: Data are from Waves 1 (2005–2006) and 2 (2010–2011) of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), a longitudinal study on health and social factors of older adults. The final analytic sample used for this study included 1,922 respondents who responded to both waves and who responded to questions concerning drinking and smoking behavior. Results: Using lagged dependent variable models, findings show that personal networks can have protective effects on smoking or drinking; more contact-days with alters lower odds of drinking (OR = 0.935, p < .01), and more alters in the same household lower odds of smoking (OR = 0.679, p < .05). Being able to discuss issues of health with others serves to reduce the adoption of smoking (OR = 0.555, p < .05). However, for current smokers and drinkers, personal networks are not necessarily protective from heavy smoking or drinking; more close ties increase odds of heavy drinking (OR = 1.531, p < .01), while networks have no significant associations with the odds of heavy smoking for current smokers. Conclusion: Context is important when evaluating the influence of social networks on health-compromising behaviors, as social networks can be protective from engaging in smoking/drinking behavior, but for those who currently smoke or drink, it has no relationship or can even be enabling for those who currently drink, making them more likely to be heavy drinkers.

Keywords:

• Social support
• egocentric social networks
• health risk behaviors
• older adults
• panel study

Declaration of interest

There are no conflicts of interest to declare.