Here, we review the research we have conducted on social contagion. We describe the methods we have employed (and the assumptions they have entailed) to examine several datasets with complementary strengths and weaknesses, including the Framingham Heart Study, the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, and other observational and experimental datasets that we and others have collected. We describe the regularities that led us to propose that human social networks may exhibit a ‘three degrees of influence’ property, and we review statistical approaches we have used to characterize interpersonal influence with respect to phenomena as diverse as obesity, smoking, cooperation, and happiness. We do not claim that this work is the final word, but we do believe that it provides some novel, informative, and stimulating evidence regarding social contagion in longitudinally followed networks. Along with other scholars, we are working to develop new methods for identifying causal effects using social network data, and we believe that this area is ripe for statistical development as current methods have known and often unavoidable limitations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Social contagion theory: examining dynamic social networks and human behavior

The influence of social networking sites on health behavior change: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Two decades of research indicate causal associations between social relationships and mortality, but important questions remain as to how social relationships affect health, when effects emerge, and how long they last. Drawing on data from four nationally representative longitudinal samples of the US population, we implemented an innovative life course design to assess the prospective association of both structural and functional dimensions of social relationships (social integration, social support, and social strain) with objectively measured biomarkers of physical health (C-reactive protein, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference, and body mass index) within each life stage, including adolescence and young, middle, and late adulthood, and compare such associations across life stages. We found that a higher degree of social integration was associated with lower risk of physiological dysregulation in a dose–response manner in both early and later life. Conversely, lack of social connections was associated with vastly elevated risk in specific life stages. For example, social isolation increased the risk of inflammation by the same magnitude as physical inactivity in adolescence, and the effect of social isolation on hypertension exceeded that of clinical risk factors such as diabetes in old age. Analyses of multiple dimensions of social relationships within multiple samples across the life course produced consistent and robust associations with health. Physiological impacts of structural and functional dimensions of social relationships emerge uniquely in adolescence and midlife and persist into old age.

https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/113/3/578.full.pdf

Social relationships and physiological determinants of longevity across the human life span

Physical activity is closely linked with health and well-being, however many Americans do not engage in regular exercise. Older adults and those with low socioeconomic status are especially at risk for poor health, largely due to their sedentary lifestyles. Fitness technology, including trackers and smartphone applications (apps) have become increasingly popular for measuring and encouraging physical activity in recent years. However, many questions remain regarding the effectiveness of this technology for promoting behavior change. Behavior change techniques such as goal setting, feedback, rewards, and social factors are often included in fitness technology. However, it is not clear which components are most effective, and which are actually being used by consumers. We discuss additional strategies not typically included in fitness technology devices or apps that are promising for engaging inactive, vulnerable populations. These include action planning, restructuring negative attitudes, enhancing environmental conditions, and identifying other barriers to regular physical activity. We consider which strategies are most conducive to motivating behavior change among sedentary adults. Overall, fitness technology has the potential to significantly impact public health, research, and policies. We suggest ways in which app developers and behavior change experts can collaborate to develop successful apps. Advances are still needed to help inactive individuals determine how, when, where, and with whom they can increase their physical activity.

/pdf/behavior-change-with-fitness-technology-in-sedentary-adults-il5run0ds7.pdf

Behavior Change with Fitness Technology in Sedentary Adults: A Review of the Evidence for Increasing Physical Activity

Social network activation: The role of health discussion partners in recovery from mental illness

Nowadays the social networks have been developed into an advanced communications tool, which is important for all people to contact each other. These specific networks do offer lots of options as well as plenty of advantages and disadvantages. The social websites are many in number and titles, such as the facebook, the twitter, the bandoo etc. One of the most important function-mechanisms for the social network websites, are the marketing tools. The future goal is suggested to be the evolution of these programs. The development of these applications, which is going to lead into a new era for the social digital communication between the internet users, all around the globe.

Social Networks and Health.

Objectives: Current estimates cite more than 100,000 casualties from war in Syria, with 5,000 deaths reported each month since the violence escalated in the summer of 2012. With up to 3,500 Syrians crossing the borders every day, the rate at which refugees have poured over Syria's southern border has outstripped the ability of the Jordanian government and the international community to ensure adequate access to health services for refugees living inside Zaatari, the main refugee camp, and those dispersed throughout Jordan. Study design: The purpose of our study is to explore refugees' attitudes towards health services (i.e. evaluation of the adequacy of health care services and the degree of their satisfaction by the services provided). Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Data collection with the use of questionnaires took place from August 1 to October 30, 2013 in Irbid, Jordan. The questionnaires consisted of questions concerning demographic information (e.g. age, gender, marital status, education etc.), medical information about the state of their health, and problems they encounter during their stay in the camp, as well as questions related to evaluation of their access to health services (self-reported questionnaires). The sample population is 120 refugees (65% females, 35% males). Results: Approximately 75% of people in the refugee camp argued that they received insufficient health care services, with a 43% of people predicted that their health condition in future will significantly exacerbate. The probability of someone with poor health status to report an inadequate health service highly increases by 41.1 percentage points compared to someone that have a good health status. A strong association was found between a negative evaluation of health services and future projections of health status. Those who believed that would have an exacerbation in their health status increased their probability to report poor health services by 36.2 percentage points, while the probability of reporting positive health care services evaluation decreased by 16.2 percentage points. Conclusions: The provision of health services to Syrian refuges in Jordan is in fairly good level. This is shown by the survey results, although in some cases there are several weaknesses and problems that certainly need to be addressed. One of the most positive is the safety that these people feel to their new place of residence. However, the challenges are enough and can only be solved with the international community help.

The Provision of Health Services in Jordan to Syrian Refugees

The last six years the global community is facing an economic crisis that first appeared in USA. This crisis has a lot of impacts especially in health sector. Unemployment, job insecurity and the loss of disposable income have a significant impact in health too. The main objective of this research was to investigate the quality of life of the general population in Greece during the financial crisis. To collect the data it has been used the Greek version of Short Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36v2). In general, income, level of education, cohabitation and parenthood had a significant impact in quality of life. As a conclusion, unemployed participants' score was lower in the entire dimensions and in the two summary scales too.

Greece Financial Crisis and Quality of Life.

The aim of this study is to examine the infections control methods in ICU as well as the issue of quality in health services provided, as they constitute an important quality assurance indicator. Moreover, nowadays the causes of Nosocomial infections are known and so do the measures for their control. There is a need however for an information resource that will promote specialized and general guidelines. The measures include the appropriate use of gloves, cleaning and disinfection of the ICU environment and hand washing which is the most important of all. Therefore an effort was made to develop an easy to navigate webpage with practical and comprehensible clinical guidelines. Additionally, it gives to all visitors the opportunity for further information research with the use of the included links. For the development of the web side existing clinical guide lines were scrutinizes as well as studies that concern the effectiveness of the measures mentioned and for the identification of quality assurance criteria.

Infection control and quality assurance of health services provided in ICU: development of an ICU website.

Introduction Globalization is the process of international integration arising from the interchange of world views, products, ideas, and other aspects of culture. Globalization describes the interplay of macro-social forces across cultures. The purpose of this study is a systematic review of the bibliography on the impacts of globalization in health. The consequences of globalization on health present a twofold dimension, on the one hand affects the health of the population and on the other hand organization and functioning of health systems. As a result of globalization, there has been an undeniable economic development and technological progress to support the level of health around the world, improving the health status of certain populations with a beneficial increase in life expectancy. Conclusion In many aspects globalization is good but there are many problems too.

Aggelos Mechili

Papers

Social Networks and Health.

The Provision of Health Services in Jordan to Syrian Refugees

Greece Financial Crisis and Quality of Life.

Infection control and quality assurance of health services provided in ICU: development of an ICU website.

Impacts of globalization in health