Social Capital and Mental Health

Social Capital and Mental Health
Author: Kwame McKenzie
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Total Pages: 160
Release: 2006
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1843103559

Why do some areas have a higher prevalence of mental illness than others? This book explores the concept of social capital & its implications for mental health policy. It reviews methods of measuring social capital, analyses the implications of research for future policy developments & makes recommendations for practice & research.

Social Capital and Health

Social Capital and Health
Author: Ichiro Kawachi
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 295
Release: 2008
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0387713107

As interest in social capital has grown over the past decade—particularly in public health —so has the lack of consensus on exactly what it is and what makes it worth studying. Ichiro Kawachi, a widely respected leader in the field, and 21 contributors (including physicians, economists, and public health experts) discuss the theoretical origins of social capital, the strengths and limitations of current methodologies of measuring it, and salient examples of social capital concepts informing public health practice. Among the highlights: Measurement methods: survey, sociometric, ethnographic, experimental The relationship between social capital and physical health and health behaviors: smoking, substance abuse, physical activity, sexual activity Social capital and mental health: early findings Social capital and the aging community Social capital and disaster preparedness Social Capital and Health is certain to inspire a new generation of research on this topic, and will be of interest to researchers and advanced students in public health, health behavior, and social epidemiology.

Social Capital and Mental Health

Social Capital and Mental Health
Author: Kwame McKenzie
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Total Pages: 160
Release: 2006-03-21
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1846424941

`The effects of social context and social structure on health are well documented. The concept of social capital provides a slightly different take on the issue, as it attempts to discover the features of populations in different areas that are crucial in determining the extent and the quality of social interactions and the social institutions within society. Such factors as social networks, levels of participation in civil life (as a citizen) and levels of trust within communities are all associated with social capital. This book provides a detailed exploration of the concept, on its effects on psychological functioning and on the risk factors for mental health that are associated with communities that have either high or low levels of social capital.' - Community Care Why do some areas have a higher prevalence of mental illness than others? How does the structure of a society affect its inhabitants' mental health? This remarkable book is the first to explore in detail the concept of social capital and its implications for mental health policy. Drawing on evidence from international research and fieldwork, the contributors examine the risk factors for mental health associated with both low and high social capital communities. They discuss the importance of relationships between individuals, groups and abstract bodies such as the state and outline different systems of social capital, for example intra-group `bonding' and inter-group `bridging'. The authors challenge the notion of community as a strictly area-based concept and call for broader-based studies of communities built around race, faith or even around a common social exclusion. Social Capital and Mental Health also reviews methods of measuring social capital, analyses the implications of research findings for future policy developments and makes clear recommendations for future practice and research. This book will be an informative and engaging read for sociologists and psychiatrists, and an incisive resource for policy makers and practitioners.

Social Epidemiology

Social Epidemiology
Author: Lisa F. Berkman
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 428
Release: 2000-03-09
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 9780195083316

This book shows the important links between social conditions and health and begins to describe the processes through which these health inequalities may be generated. It reviews a range of methodologies that could be used by health researchers in this field and proposes innovative future research directions.

Global Mental Health

Global Mental Health
Author: Vikram Patel
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 511
Release: 2013-11
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0199920184

This is the definitive textbook on global mental health, an emerging priority discipline within global health, which places priority on improving mental health and achieving equity in mental health for all people worldwide.

Current Topics in Public Health

Current Topics in Public Health
Author: Alfonso J. Rodriguez-Morales
Publisher: IntechOpen
Total Pages: 744
Release: 2013-05-15
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 9789535111214

Public Health is regarded as the basis and cornerstone of health, generally and in medicine. Defined as the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals, this discipline has been renewed by the incorporation of multiple actors, professions, knowledge areas and it has also been impacted and promoted by multiple technologies, particularly - the information technology. As a changing field of knowledge, Public Health requires evidence-based information and regular updates. Current Topics in Public Health presents updated information on multiple topics related to actual areas of interest in this growing and exciting medical science, with the conception and philosophy that we are working to improve the health of the population, rather than treating diseases of individual patients, taking decisions about collective health care that are based on the best available, current, valid and relevant evidence, and finally within the context of available resources. With participation of authors from multiple countries, many from developed and developing ones, this book offers a wide geographical perspective. Finally, all these characteristics make this book an excellent update on many subjects of world public health.

Social Capital

Social Capital
Author: David Halpern
Publisher: Polity
Total Pages: 401
Release: 2005
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0745625479

This work presents an introduction to the concept of social capital - a term which refers to the social networks, informal structures and norms that facilitate individual and collective action.

Space, Place and Mental Health

Space, Place and Mental Health
Author: Professor Sarah Curtis
Publisher: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.
Total Pages: 320
Release: 2012-11-28
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1409488640

There is a strong case today for a specific focus on mental public health and its relation to social and physical environments. From a public health perspective, we now appreciate the enormous significance of mental distress and illness as causes of disability and impairment. Stress and anxiety, and other mental illnesses are linked to risks in the environment. This book questions how and why the social and physical environment matters for mental health and psychological wellbeing in human populations. While putting forward a number of different points of view, there is a particular emphasis on ideas and research from health geography, which conceptualises space and place in ways that provide a distinctive focus on the interactions between people and their social and physical environment. The book begins with an overview of a rich body of theory and research from sociology, psychology, social epidemiology, social psychiatry and neuroscience, considering arguments concerning 'mind-body dualism', and presenting a conceptual framework for studying how attributes of 'space' and 'place' are associated with human mental wellbeing. It goes on to look in detail at how our mental health is associated with material, or physical, aspects of our environment (such as 'natural' and built landscapes), with social environments (involving social relationships in communities), and with symbolic and imagined spaces (representing the personal, cultural and spiritual meanings of places). These relationships are shown to be complex, with potential to be beneficial or hazardous for mental health. The final chapters of the book consider spaces of care and the implications of space and place for public mental health policy, offering a broader view of how mental health might be improved at the population level. With boxed case studies of specific research ideas and methods, chapter summaries and suggestions for introductory reading, this book offers a comprehensive introduction which will be valuable for students of health geography, public health, sociology and anthropology of health and illness. It also provides an interdisciplinary review of the literature, by the author and by other writers, to frame a discussion of issues that challenge more advanced researchers in these fields.

Social Determinants of Health in Non-communicable Diseases

Social Determinants of Health in Non-communicable Diseases
Author: Katsunori Kondo
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 328
Release: 2021-11-04
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9789811518331

This book is open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. This open access book is the first compilation that reviews a wide range of social determinants of health (SDHs) for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and healthy ageing in Japan. With the highest life expectancy and the largest elderly population in the world, Japan has witnessed health inequality by region and social class becoming more prevalent since the 2000s. The first half of this volume describes in detail major NCDs, such as cancers, heart and kidney diseases, diabetes, stroke, and metabolic syndrome. The second half, on the other hand, explores various SDHs relating to healthy ageing. All chapters review and focus on SDHs, particularly health inequality associated with socio-economic status and social capital, which are widely addressed in the field of social epidemiology. The book makes the argument that “Health for All” advocated by the WHO should be implemented based on social justice and benefits for the greater society. Public health researchers and policymakers, both in Japan and other nations, will gain scientific evidence from this book to prepare for the coming era as ageing becomes a global issue.