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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research article

Personal social networks and organizational affiliation of South Asians in the United States

Authors: Namratha R. Kandula, Andrew J. Cooper, John A. Schneider, Kayo Fujimoto, Alka M. Kanaya, Linda Van Horn, Lawrence deKoning, Juned Siddique

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

Understanding the social lives of South Asian immigrants in the United States (U.S) and their influence on health can inform interpersonal and community-level health interventions for this growing community. This paper describe the rationale, survey design, measurement, and network properties of 700 South Asian individuals in the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) social networks ancillary study.

Methods

MASALA is a community-based cohort, established in 2010, to understand risk factors for cardiovascular disease among South Asians living in the U.S. Survey data collection on personal social networks occurred between 2014 and 2017. Network measurements included size, composition, density, and organizational affiliations. Data on participants’ self-rated health and social support functions and health-related discussions among network members were also collected.

Results

Participants’ age ranged from 44 to 84 (average 59 years), and 57% were men. South Asians had large (size=5.6, SD=2.6), kin-centered (proportion kin=0.71, SD=0.28), and dense networks. Affiliation with religious and spiritual organizations was perceived as beneficial to health. Emotional closeness with network members was positively associated with participants’ self-rated health (p-value <0.001), and networks with higher density and more kin were significantly associated with health-related discussions.

Discussion

The MASALA networks study advances research on the cultural patterning of social relationships and sources of social support in South Asians living in the U.S. Future analyses will examine how personal social networks and organizational affiliations influence South Asians’ health behaviors and outcomes.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02268513
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Personal social networks and organizational affiliation of South Asians in the United States
Authors
Namratha R. Kandula
Andrew J. Cooper
John A. Schneider
Kayo Fujimoto
Alka M. Kanaya
Linda Van Horn
Lawrence deKoning
Juned Siddique
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5128-z

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