Explaining happiness trends in Europe.

In Europe, differences among countries in the overall change in happiness since the early 1980s have been due chiefly to the generosity of welfare state programs-increasing happiness going with increasing generosity and declining happiness with declining generosity. This is the principal conclusion from a time-series study of 10 Northern, Western, and Southern European countries with the requisite data. In the present study, cross-section analysis of recent data gives a misleading impression that economic growth, social capital, and/or quality of the environment are driving happiness trends, but in the long-term, time-series data, these variables have no relation to happiness.

Community-level group sports participation and all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer mortality: a 7-year longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Community-level group sports participation is a structural aspect of social capital that can potentially impact individual health in a contextual manner. This study aimed to investigate contextual relationship between the community-level prevalence of group sports participation and the risk of all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer mortality in older adults. METHODS: In this 7-year longitudinal cohort study, data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, a nationwide survey encompassing 43,088 functionally independent older adults residing in 311 communities, were used. Cause of death data were derived from the Japanese governmental agency, The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, for secondary use. "Participation" was defined as engaging in group sports for one or more days per month. To analyze the data, a two-level survival analysis was employed, and hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. RESULTS: Among the participants, 5,711 (13.3%) deaths were identified, with 1,311 related to CVD and 2,349 to cancer. The average group sports participation rate was 28.3% (range, 10.0-52.7%). After adjusting for individual-level group sports participation and potential confounders, a higher community-level group sports participation rate was found to be significantly associated with a lower risk of both all-cause mortality (HR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.83-0.95) and cancer mortality (HR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.81-0.98) for every 10% point increase in the participation rate. For CVD mortality, the association became less significant in the model adjusted for all covariates (HR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.82-1.09). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the existence of a preventive relationship between community-level group sports participation and the occurrence of all-cause and cancer mortality among older individuals. Promoting group sports within communities holds promise as an effective population-based strategy for extending life expectancy, regardless of individual participation in these groups.

Characterizing the Relationship between HIV Peer Support Groups and Internalized Stigma Among People Living with HIV in Nigeria.

HIV-related stigma remains a significant barrier to implementing effective HIV treatment and prevention strategies in Nigeria. Despite the high uptake of peer support groups among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Nigeria, the potential role of such peer support on the burden of internalized stigma remains understudied. To address this gap, we conducted a secondary analysis of the PLHIV Stigma Index 2.0, a socio-behavioral survey implemented by PLHIV led-organizations to assess the relationship between group membership and internalized stigma. Internalized stigma was measured using the Internalized AIDS-related Stigma Scale. Multinomial logistic regression was used to measure the association between self-reported engagement in peer support groups and internalized stigma adjusting for age, education, duration since HIV diagnosis, employment, disclosure status, and sex-work engagement. Of the 1,244 respondents in this study, 75.1% were engaged in HIV peer support groups. Over half (55.5%) and about one-fourth (27.3%) demonstrated low/moderate and high levels of internalized stigma, respectively. PLHIV engaged in HIV peer support groups were less likely to report both low/moderate (versus no) (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 0.47 [95% CI: 0.27 to 0.81]; p = 0.006) and high (versus no) (aOR: 0.30 [95% CI: 0.17 to 0.53]; p < 0.001) levels of internalized stigma compared to those not engaged. In this study, the burden of internalized stigma is high among PLHIV in Nigeria. However, engagement in peer support groups appears to mitigate these stigmas. Stigma mitigation strategies to increase peer support may represent a critical tool in decreasing sustained HIV treatment gaps among PLHIV in Nigeria.

The development of social capital in a peer-led mHealth cognitive behavioral antiretroviral therapy adherence intervention for HIV + adolescents and young adults.

Adherence Connection for Counseling, Education, and Support (ACCESS)-I is a peer-led mHealth antiretroviral therapy adherence intervention for adolescents and young adults living with HIV who are in treatment but have detectable viral loads. Participants received five online sessions with peer health coaches who followed a structured intervention manual. Peers maintained intervention fidelity but also engaged in casual discussion that was not directly related to ART adherence or HIV. We conducted a qualitative analysis of the casual interactions that occurred during the ACCESS I intervention. Sessions were transcribed and coded, and these casual interactions were then coded into 10 subcodes to document their content, and also coded for three types of social capital - emotional, informational, and instrumental. Emotional and Informational social capital codes were the most common, while instrumental codes were rare. Activities was the most common topic overall, while encouragement was more common in emotional social capital narratives and personal experience was more common in informational social capital narratives. These casual interactions may strengthen peer-participant relationships, building social capital that could then be used to encourage positive behavior change. Although social capital was not directly measured, these analyses illustrate the value of attending to seemingly casual interactions in peer-led interventions.

Stigma, serostatus disclosure, coping strategies, and the role of social capital resources among HIV care-nonadherent MSM in Russia: a qualitative analysis.

The HIV epidemic continues to expand in Russia, with suboptimal levels of care uptake. This qualitative study aimed to characterize social capital resources and lived stigma experiences, coping, and disclosure among care-nonadherent men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV in Russia. Twenty-five HIV-positive MSM - recruited online - completed in-depth interviews over Zoom, with data analyzed using MAXQDA software. Stigma was more likely to be encountered in interactions with persons with whom social ties were weaker such as medical providers and relatives, particularly males. Close friends - often other HIV-positive MSM and female relatives - were the most supportive and least stigmatizing. Similar persons were most often considered for HIV serostatus disclosure. Coping strategies to reduce the impact of stigma included ignoring stigmatizing experiences, seeking support from members of one's social circle, minimizing contact with stigmatizing persons, seeking new relationships with persons who are also HIV-positive, proactively reducing stigma through involvement in advocacy roles, and correcting myths and educating others about HIV infection. These findings underscore the need for interventions to assist HIV-positive MSM in building accepting social capital resources to reduce the impact of stigma and to build support within their social networks, often with other HIV-positive MSM.

Association depressive symptoms with memory function and social capital before and during COVID-19 in community-dwelling older adults in rural Japan: A retrospective study with a longitudinal data.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the impact of memory function and social capital on depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic among older adults in rural Japan. METHODS: A retrospective study with longitudinal data was conducted during COVID-19 from May 2021 to November 2021 (T2) in Kurogawa, Japan. The candidate population for this study was 145 with the following requirements: (1) older individuals aged 65 years or above who were registered in the Kurogawa study, and (2) those with previous data (from November 2016 to February 2020; T1 as pre-pandemic). Memory function was assessed using the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised Logical Memory II delayed recall part A (LM II-DR). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Japanese version of the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). Social capital was evaluated through civic participation, social cohesion, and reciprocity. Fear of the COVID-19 infection (FCV-19S) was evaluated. RESULTS: The final analysis included 96 participants (mean age = 81.0 years, SD = 4.8) Multivariate analysis for GDS-15 score by Mixed Model Repeated Measures (MMRM) revealed significant associations between LM II-DR (ß = -0.13, 95% CI: -0.21-0.05, p = 0.002) and FCV-19S during COVID-19 (ß = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.01-0.15, p = 0.02) with GDS-15 score. However, civic participation, social cohesion and reciprocity were not associated with GDS-15 score. CONCLUSIONS: Among older adults in rural Japan, memory function and fear of the COVID-19 infection were significantly associated with depressive symptoms in MMRM analysis. However, social capital was not associated with depressive symptoms. This highlights the need to address memory function and fear of the COVID-19 infection in interventions for older adults during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Child health and its effect on adult social capital accumulation.

Although studies have demonstrated important effects of poor health in childhood on stocks of human and health capital, little research has tested economic theories to investigate the effect of child health on social capital in adulthood. Studies on the influence of child health on adult social capital are mixed and have not used sibling fixed effects models to account for unmeasured family and genetic characteristics, that are likely to be important. Using the Add-Health sample, health in childhood was assessed as self-rated health, the occurrence of a physical health condition or mental health condition, while social capital in adulthood was measured as volunteering, religious service attendance, team sports participation, number of friends, social isolation, and social support. We used sibling fixed effects models, which attenuated several associations to non-significance. In sibling fixed effects models there was significant positive effects of greater self-rated health on participation in team sports and social support, and negative effect of mental health in childhood on social isolation in adulthood. These results suggest that children with poor health require additional supports to build and maintain their stock of social capital and highlight further potential benefits to efforts that address poor child health.

Social belonging: brain structure and function is linked to membership in sports teams, religious groups, and social clubs.

Human behavior across the life span is driven by the psychological need to belong, right from kindergarten to bingo nights. Being part of social groups constitutes a backbone for communal life and confers many benefits for the physical and mental health. Capitalizing on the neuroimaging and behavioral data from ∼40,000 participants from the UK Biobank population cohort, we used structural and functional analyses to explore how social participation is reflected in the human brain. Across 3 different types of social groups, structural analyses point toward the variance in ventromedial prefrontal cortex, fusiform gyrus, and anterior cingulate cortex as structural substrates tightly linked to social participation. Functional connectivity analyses not only emphasized the importance of default mode and limbic network but also showed differences for sports teams and religious groups as compared to social clubs. Taken together, our findings establish the structural and functional integrity of the default mode network as a neural signature of social belonging.

Determinants of self-rated health among highly educated Ukrainian women refugees in Czechia: analysis based on cross-sectional study in 2022.

BACKGROUND: Russia's military aggression against Ukraine set in motion a large number of refugees. Considerable amount of them came and stayed in Czechia. Refugees represent special vulnerable individuals often affected by war physically and psychologically. Due to the national regulations not allowing most of Ukrainian men aged 18-60 to leave the country, nowadays Ukrainian forced migration is relatively young and strongly gendered. Evidence suggests the higher probability for searching the safe refuge abroad among Ukrainian women with small children as well as those with relatively higher economic and cultural capital. The aim of this study is to identify the structural features of systemic risks associated with war migration by examining determinants of self-rated health among forcibly displaced highly educated Ukrainian women of productive age residing in Czechia. METHODS: Data from one wave of the panel survey among Ukrainian refugees in Czechia conducted in September 2022 was used. Determinants of self-rated health including self-reported diseases and healthcare factors, lifestyle, human and social capital, economic factors, and migration characteristics were analysed using binary logistic regression. RESULTS: About 45% highly educated Ukrainian women refugees in Czechia assessed their health as poor. The poor self-rated health was mostly associated with the number of diseases and depressive symptoms, and by social capital and economic factors. Having four and more diseases (OR = 13.26; 95%-CI: 5.61-31.35), showing some severe depressive symptoms (OR = 7.20; 95%-CI: 3.95-13.13), experiencing difficulties to seek help from others (OR = 2.25; 95%-CI: 1.20-4.23), living alone in a household (OR = 2.67; 95%-CI: 1.37-5.27), having severe material deprivation (OR = 2.70; 95%-CI: 1.35-5.41) and coming originally from the eastern part of Ukraine (OR = 2.96; 95%-CI: 1.34-6.55) increased the chance of these refugees to assess their health as poor. CONCLUSION: Social and economic determinants such as lack of social contacts for seeking help and material deprivation were found to be crucial for self-rated health and should be tackled via migration policies. Further, qualitative research is needed to better understand the mechanisms behind the factors affecting subjectively assessed health.

How the social media impact women's psychological well-being in the patriarchal structure? The moderating effect of social capital.

BACKGROUND: Despite technological, political and economic progress, Pakistan is still a traditionally patriarchal society, and cultural norms curb women's freedom of socialization, which contributes to poor mental health. The digital technology spaces are rampant with male dominance, and offline cultural behaviours are replicated. Therefore, the current research in Pakistan intends to focus solely on women, their social media uses and the consequent impact on their psychological well-being. Furthermore, the mediation role of social capital is explored, which is linked to women's socialization. In virtual communication, women can expand their connection or remain limited to known people. METHODS: An online survey collected 240 responses from women social media users. The questionnaire was divided into demographics, social media use patterns like access, online time, frequency of use, social media uses, online social capital and psychological well-being. The obtained responses were statistically analyzed using Smart PLS. RESULTS: Pakistani women use social media extensively; however, their uses are culturally influenced. The women use social media and socialize online but do not openly disclose their personalities and emotions to extend the connection. They seek information only from acquaintances and do not trust newly developed online contacts. Therefore, the mediation role of bonding social capital is significant, referring to the importance of close ties and trust in psychological well-being. Though virtual spaces provide an opportunity for bridging social capital, women use social media for socialization; however, it doesn't contribute to women's psychological well-being. CONCLUSION: Despite the higher penetration of digital technologies, cultural power still rules in developing countries like Pakistan. Social media uses are gender- and culturally specific, contributing to psychological well-being and developing social capital. The results from Pakistani society recommend ensuring a secure digital experience for women to get maximum benefits from social media and enhance their psychological well-being.

Social capital for carers of patients with advanced organ failure: a qualitative exploration of stakeholders' perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Carers of patients with advanced organ failure (AOF) experience a tremendous caregiving burden. Social capital utilizes the internal strength of a community to support its members and may provide carers with comprehensive support. This study aimed to identify the different sources of social capital that can support carers of patients with AOF from the perspectives of stakeholders. METHOD: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted in community settings from April 2021 to May 2022. Stakeholders from medical social work departments, self-help groups, and non-governmental organizations were recruited, while some community members were invited through online media platforms. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted using an interview guide. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a qualitative description approach. In total, 98 stakeholders, including 25 carers, 25 patients, 24 professionals, and 24 community members, were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling. RESULTS: Six categories about social capital for carers emerged, namely, carer attributes, the community, social care services, healthcare services, information, and policies. While the attributes of carers and their relationships with care recipients had a significant influence on caregiving, support from different groups in the community, such as neighbors and employers, was valued. Good communication of information about caregiving and social services was emphasized as being helpful by carers and other stakeholders. While carers presented a need for various healthcare and social care services, several features of these services, including their person-centeredness and proactive reach, were deemed useful. At the societal level, policies and research on comprehensive supportive services are warranted. The different sources of social capital constitute a multi-layer support system in the community. CONCLUSION: Carers can utilize personal attributes, interpersonal relationships, community resources, and societal contexts to enhance their caregiving. While this system can serve as a framework for building carer-friendly communities, interventions may be required to strengthen some aspects of social capital.

Association between social capital and utilization of essential public health services among elderly migrants: a multilevel logistic study based on the 2017 China migrant dynamic survey (CMDS).

BACKGROUND: As the number of elderly migrants in China continues to grow, it is necessary to pay closer attention to their health and health services. Some studies have confirmed that social capital plays a significant role in the utilization of health services. Therefore, an in-depth exploration of the relationship between social capital and the utilization of essential public health services (EPHS) by elderly migrants will not only contribute to improving their overall health but also facilitate a more balanced development of public health service system in China. METHODS: Based on the cross-sectional data from the 2017 China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS), this study examined the impact of social capital on the utilization of EPHS among elderly migrants. We evaluated social capital at two distinct levels: the individual and the community, and considered two dimensions of social capital: structural social capital (SSC) and cognitive social capital (CSC). The study aimed to delve into the impact of these forms of social capital on the utilization of EPHS among elderly migrants, and whether the migration range moderates this impact by multilevel logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 5,728 migrant elderly individuals were selected. The health records establishment rate and health education acceptance rate were approximately 33.0% and 58.6%, respectively. Social capital influenceed the utilization of EPHS among elderly migrants. Specifically, individual-level SSC and CSC have impacts on both the establishment of health records (OR = 1.598, 95%CI 1.366-1.869; OR = 1.705, 95%CI 1.433-2.028) and the acceptance of health education (OR = 1.345, 95%CI 1.154-1.567; OR = 2.297, 95%CI 1.906-2.768) among elderly migrants, while community-level SSC only affected the acceptance of health education (OR = 3.838, 95%CI 1.328-11.097). There were significant differences in individual-level SSC, health records, and health education among different migration range subgroups among elderly migrants. Migration range moderated the effect of social capital on the utilization of EPHS, crossing provinces could weaken the relationship between SSC and health education. CONCLUSIONS: Social capital is associated with a higher utilization rate of EPHS among elderly migrants. It is necessary to encourage them to actively participate in social activities, strengthen public services and infrastructure construction in the area, and improve their sense of belonging and identity.

How do urban green spaces influence heat-related mortality in elderly? A realist synthesis.

BACKGROUND: An important consequence of climate change for urban health is heat-related mortality. Vulnerable groups, especially elderly, will be the most affected. A solution put forward in many reports and policy documents is the introduction or expansion of urban green spaces. While they have a proven effect in decreasing the ambient temperature and reducing heat related mortality, the causal pathways are far from clear. Moreover, results vary for different contexts, population types and characteristics of green spaces as they are 'complex systems thrusted into complex systems'. To our knowledge, there is no systematic synthesis of the literature that examines the mechanisms by which and the circumstances under which green spaces work to decrease heat-related mortality for elderly. METHODS: We performed a realist synthesis- a theory-driven review method- to develop a complexity- and context-sensitive program theory. As a first step, a causal loop diagram was constructed which describes the possible pathways through which urban green spaces influence heat-related mortality in elderly. In a second step, one of the pathways - how they may lead to a reduction of heat-related mortality by increasing social capital - was further explored for underlying mechanisms, the context in which they work and the differentiated patterns of outcomes they generate. Literature was searched for evidence supporting or contradicting the initial programme theory, resulting in a refined theory. RESULTS: Results show how urban green space can impact on heat-related mortality in elderly by its influence on their exposure to outdoor and indoor heat, by improving their resilience as well as by affecting their access to treatment. Urban green spaces and their interactions with social capital affect the access to health information, social support, and the capacity for effective lobbying. Several mechanisms help to explain these observed demi-regularities, among others perceived behavioural control, perceived usefulness, receptiveness, ontological security, and self-interest. If and how they are triggered depends on the characteristics of the urban green space, the population, and other contextual factors. CONCLUSION: Looking into the impact of urban green spaces on heat-related mortality in elderly, researchers and policy makers should take interest in the role of social capital.

Negotiating access to community-based participatory research.

PURPOSE: Community-based participatory research (CBPR) that improves social capital can be a powerful tool for promoting mental health and well-being. This work explores what gaining, maintaining, and losing access to this type of CBPR looks like from a reflexive research perspective. METHOD: I describe and reflect on my experiences conducting a mixed-methods study of an existing CBPR to increase social capital in Switzerland. I draw on ethnographic observations, field notes, and reflexive memos collected during fieldwork between 2016 and 2020. RESULTS: I negotiated access to the CBPR across three levels: (1) formal organizational with intervention leaders, (2) implementational with facilitators, and (3) the community/group level with participants. Intervention leaders let me conduct research if they benefitted from my work in a timely and reinforcing way, facilitators granted access if I made myself helpful and supported their work, and community members accepted me if I participated in their community meaningfully. I lost access when my findings posed a potential risk to the intervention funding. CONCLUSION: I highlight how access is a fluid and complex process that can change throughout CBPR. I show the importance of reflexive analysis to understand how access is negotiated in diverse settings, what sources of social capital are needed to engage in these negotiations, and how positionality and power play a role in this process.

Supporting each other: Older adults' experiences empowering food security and social inclusion in rural and food desert communities.

Older adults vulnerable to food insecurity are at risk of poor psychological and physical health. Poor public infrastructure or proximity to food sources can exacerbate risk of food insecurity. Reduced statutory services for social care has heightened the responsibility on third sector organisations and community-led volunteering, essential to supporting healthy ageing in place and reducing the inequalities of ageing. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore how older adults' volunteering with a third sector organisation focused on food access supports food security and builds social capital for socially or economically marginalised older adults within rural and food desert communities. The study aims to bridge the knowledge gap of how volunteering in vulnerable geographies affects food insecurity and community. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven older (55+) volunteer 'meal makers' working with the third sector organisation Food Train and its 'Meal Makers' project. Interview recordings were transcribed and thematically analysed. Ecomap methodology was used to illustrate the lived experiences of older adult volunteers as told through the interviews. Two themes were identified by Thematic Analysis: (1) Networks, connectedness, and exposure to social capital, and (2) Supplementary support. This study finds that older adult volunteers are well placed within community interventions supporting food insecure older adults in rural or food desert communities. Ecomaps demonstrated that high social capital volunteers can mediate food access barriers and highlighted points of local knowledge and social connection. Volunteer engagement provides opportunities for food secure older adults to share local knowledge and build networks of food support and social inclusion for food insecure older adults. Older age volunteering should be advocated as a multi-faceted intervention promoting mutual health and wellbeing in volunteer and beneficiary.

Effect of social capital on enrolment of informal sector occupational groups in the national health insurance scheme in Ghana: a cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Enrolment of informal sector workers in Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is critical to achieving increased risk-pooling and attainment of Universal Health Coverage. However, the NHIS has struggled over the years to improve enrolment of this subpopulation. This study analysed effect of social capital on enrolment of informal sector workers in the NHIS. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 528 members of hairdressers and beauticians, farmers, and commercial road transport drivers' groups. Descriptive statistics, principal component analysis, and multinomial logit regression model were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: Social capital including membership in occupational group, trust, and collective action were significantly associated with enrolment in the NHIS, overall. Other factors such as household size, education, ethnicity, and usual source of health care were, however, correlated with both enrolment and dropout. Notwithstanding these factors, the chance of enrolling in the NHIS and staying active was 44.6% higher for the hairdressers and beauticians; the probability of dropping out of the scheme was 62.9% higher for the farmers; and the chance of never enrolling in the scheme was 22.3% higher for the commercial road transport drivers. CONCLUSIONS: Social capital particularly collective action and predominantly female occupational groups are key determinants of informal sector workers' participation in the NHIS. Policy interventions to improve enrolment of this subpopulation should consider group enrolment, targeting female dominated informal sector occupational groups. Further studies should consider inclusion of mediating and moderating variables to provide a clearer picture of the relationship between occupational group social capital and enrolment in health insurance schemes.

Individual-level community-based social capital and depressive symptoms among older adults in urban China: the moderating effects of socioeconomic status.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the moderating role of socioeconomic status in the association between community-based social capital-based on individual-level cognitive and structural social capital-and depressive symptoms among older adults in urban China. METHODS: Data were collected in 2020 through a community survey of 800 respondents aged 60 years and older living in Shijiazhuang and Tianjin. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Multiple-group analyses were conducted to analyze the data. RESULTS: Measurement models of cognitive social capital and structural social capital were established. Measurement invariance was established across different socioeconomic groups. Additionally, socioeconomic status significantly moderated the association between social capital and depressive symptoms. The association between cognitive social capital and depressive symptoms was statistically significant among respondents with relatively low incomes and high levels of education, whereas the association between structural social capital and depressive symptoms was significant only among those with relatively high incomes. CONCLUSION: Future social capital policies and interventions should adopt different strategies to provide services to older adults from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Furthermore, educational programs should promote the effects of cognitive social capital on depressive symptoms later in life.

Adverse childhood experiences and self-esteem among adolescents: The role of social capital and gender.

INTRODUCTION: Adverse childhood experiences have long-lasting effects on the self-esteem of adolescents. However, the extrinsic mechanism linking them to self-esteem, which is more modifiable, has rarely been examined. Therefore, this study examined the mediating roles of family, school, and peer social capital and the moderating role of gender in the association between adverse childhood experiences and adolescent self-esteem. METHODS: This study involved a cross-sectional survey of first- and second-grade students in the only high school in Wusu, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. Data were collected in May 2023. A sample of 2539 students (M = 16.84 years old; 55.65% female) was included. The measurement models of family, school, and peer social capital were constructed using confirmatory factor analysis. The mediating roles of the three types of social capital and the moderating role of gender were examined using mediation analysis and multiple-group analysis, respectively. RESULTS: Family, school, and peer social capital significantly mediated the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and adolescent self-esteem, and family social capital played the strongest role. Gender significantly moderated the direct effect of adverse childhood experiences on self-esteem. The direct effect was significant only among girls. CONCLUSIONS: This study underscores the protective role of social capital for self-esteem among adolescents in Northwestern China and similar areas with relatively limited social services. Comprehensive interventions promoting social capital, especially family social capital, should be conducted to enhance self-esteem among adolescents.

Unveiling disparities: examining differential item functioning's impact on racial health equity among white and black populations.

OBJECTIVES: This paper aims to examine the psychometric properties of social capital indicators, comparing Black and White respondents to identify the extent of measurement invariance in social capital by race. STUDY DESIGN: We used data from the longitudinal study Midlife in the United States (MIDUS), waves 1 through 3 (1995-2016). METHODS: Data were from 6513 respondents (5604 White and 909 Black respondents). Social capital indicators were social cohesion, contributions to community, and community involvement. We used Structural Equation Modeling and Item Response Theory methods to test for measurement invariance in social capital by race. RESULTS: We observed violations of longitudinal and multi-group measurement invariance (MI) at configural and metric levels on two scales. Factor structures and indicator loadings were inconsistent over time. In IRT analysis, 'Many people come for advice' exhibited Differential Item Functioning (DIF), indicating a consistent advantage for White respondents on the contributions to community scale. Despite similar social capital levels (P(χ2,2) = 0.00), DIF was found in all contributions to community items and some community involvement items when examining race and education interaction. CONCLUSIONS: Invariance issues in social capital items suggest potential biases in comparing Black and White respondents. Recognizing these biases is essential. Future social capital research should assess existing data assumptions and involve stakeholders from diverse communities in creating new items.

Exploring the use of experimental small area estimates to examine the relationship between individual-level and area-level community belonging and self-rated health.

Background: Small area estimation refers to statistical modelling procedures that leverage information or "borrow strength" from other sources or variables. This is done to enhance the reliability of estimates of characteristics or outcomes for areas that do not contain sufficient sample sizes to provide disaggregated estimates of adequate precision and reliability. There is growing interest in secondary research applications for small area estimates (SAEs). However, it is crucial to assess the analytic value of these estimates when used as proxies for individual-level characteristics or as distinct measures that offer insights at the area level. This study assessed novel area-level community belonging measures derived using small area estimation and examined associations with individual-level measures of community belonging and self-rated health. Data and methods: SAEs of community belonging within census tracts produced from the 2016-2019 cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) were merged with respondent data from the 2020 CCHS. Multinomial logistic regression models were run between area-level SAEs, individual-level sense of community belonging, and self-rated health on the study sample of people aged 18 years and older. Results: Area-level community belonging was associated with individual-level community belonging, even after adjusting for individual-level sociodemographic characteristics, despite limited agreement between individual- and area-level measures. Living in a neighbourhood with low community belonging was associated with higher odds of reporting being in fair or poor health, versus being in very good or excellent health (odds ratio: 1.53; 95% confidence interval: 1.22, 1.91), even after adjusting for other factors such as individual-level sense of community belonging, which was also associated with self-rated health. Interpretation: Area-level and individual-level sense of community belonging were independently associated with self-rated health. The novel SAEs of community belonging can be used as distinct measures of neighbourhood-level community belonging and should be understood as complementary to, rather than proxies for, individual-level measures of community belonging.