The association of social networks and depression in community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review of observational (cross-sectional and longitudinal) studies
PubMed 38902787 · doi:10.1186/s13643-024-02581-6
What was done
Authors systematically searched seven electronic databases (APA PsycINFO, ProQuest, PSYINDEX, PubMed, Scopus, SocINDEX, Web of Science) from inception to July 11, 2023. Eligible studies included community-dwelling older adults (mean age ≥ 60 years), defined depression adequately, used the term 'social network' in the abstract, and were published in English. Study quality was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for cross-sectional and longitudinal designs, with data categorized into seven structural social network domains.
What was found
A total of 127 studies were included. Larger and more diverse social networks, as well as closer social ties, were found to help mitigate depression. Literature regarding network density, homogeneity, and geographical proximity was scarce and inconclusive. No numerical effect sizes or pooled statistics were reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
This review updates the evidence base on how specific structural features of social relations associate with late-life depression, pointing toward network size and diversity as potential intervention targets.
Limits
The review was restricted to English-language publications and excluded qualitative research. Included primary literature consists of observational studies with inconsistent findings across several network domains, and no quantitative effect sizes or pooled estimates are provided in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Research on depression shows that having a strong social support network is one of the best buffers against depression.