An Alternative Approach to Social Capital: Exploring the Linkage Between Health Consciousness and Community Participation

Abstract

In recent years, social capital has received a great deal of attention in health communication. The fundamental premise behind the increased attention to social capital is the positive health outcome of social capital. Social capital is treated as an antecedent to health. Building on recent research that points out the role of trait-level variables in the production of social capital, this article examines the role of health consciousness in the production of social capital. The central idea here is that health conscious individuals choose to participate in their communities because of the positive health benefits of such participation.