Social Relationships and Physiological Determinants of Longevity across Human Life Span

Yang Claire Yang, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Courtney Boen, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Karen Gerken, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Ting Li, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Kristen M. Schorpp, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Kathleen Mullan Harris, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

This study addresses the question of how the biophysiological mechanisms underlying the health impacts of social relationships unfold over the human life span. Drawing on data from four nationally representative longitudinal samples of the U.S. population, this research examined the associations of social integration, social support and strain with biomarkers of physiological stress response across immune, cardiovascular, and metabolic systems from adolescence and young adulthood (Add Health) to middle (MIDUS) and late adulthood (NSHAP and HRS). Social integration predicted lower risks of physiological dysregulation in a dose-response manner across the life course samples. Low social support as well as high social strain moderately increased the risks in some stages. In addition to the important roles of social connections in the emergence of aging related disease throughout the life course, the study also reveals physiological vulnerabilities to social stress that may be specific to relationship stressors and life course stages.