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Invited Commentary: Social Capital, Social Contexts, and Depression.

Lindström, Martin LU (2008) In American Journal of Epidemiology 167. p.1152-1154
Abstract
The literature concerning social capital and health has grown exponentially during the past somewhat more than 10 years. The study by Kouvonen et al. (Am J Epidemiol 2008;167:0000-00) is a longitudinal multilevel analysis of 33,577 public sector employees in Finland. The study shows a significant association between workplace social capital and depression, which is an interesting finding in a very new field of the study of social capital and health. However, the study also serves as an inspiration for further studies in important research areas. Workplace social capital may be investigated according to both horizontal, that is, social contacts and level of trust in relation to coworkers, and vertical, that is, relation with... (More)
The literature concerning social capital and health has grown exponentially during the past somewhat more than 10 years. The study by Kouvonen et al. (Am J Epidemiol 2008;167:0000-00) is a longitudinal multilevel analysis of 33,577 public sector employees in Finland. The study shows a significant association between workplace social capital and depression, which is an interesting finding in a very new field of the study of social capital and health. However, the study also serves as an inspiration for further studies in important research areas. Workplace social capital may be investigated according to both horizontal, that is, social contacts and level of trust in relation to coworkers, and vertical, that is, relation with employer/supervisor across power gradients, dimensions. The fact that workplace social capital may affect social capital outside work and vice versa is also of interest. It is also important to define and identify the social context level in a correct way in multilevel studies. In the study by Kouvonen et al., the social context is not a geographic entity but an entity defined according to place of work, and the definition of such a social context entails several difficulties. This study presents interesting findings and provides a basis for future studies. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
American Journal of Epidemiology
volume
167
pages
1152 - 1154
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • wos:000255756100002
  • pmid:18413360
  • scopus:43249104525
ISSN
0002-9262
DOI
10.1093/aje/kwn070
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
bb6ceb9d-18ba-429e-a224-ab99ecb3d44f (old id 1147357)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18413360?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 07:12:39
date last changed
2022-01-29 01:54:59
@article{bb6ceb9d-18ba-429e-a224-ab99ecb3d44f,
  abstract     = {{The literature concerning social capital and health has grown exponentially during the past somewhat more than 10 years. The study by Kouvonen et al. (Am J Epidemiol 2008;167:0000-00) is a longitudinal multilevel analysis of 33,577 public sector employees in Finland. The study shows a significant association between workplace social capital and depression, which is an interesting finding in a very new field of the study of social capital and health. However, the study also serves as an inspiration for further studies in important research areas. Workplace social capital may be investigated according to both horizontal, that is, social contacts and level of trust in relation to coworkers, and vertical, that is, relation with employer/supervisor across power gradients, dimensions. The fact that workplace social capital may affect social capital outside work and vice versa is also of interest. It is also important to define and identify the social context level in a correct way in multilevel studies. In the study by Kouvonen et al., the social context is not a geographic entity but an entity defined according to place of work, and the definition of such a social context entails several difficulties. This study presents interesting findings and provides a basis for future studies.}},
  author       = {{Lindström, Martin}},
  issn         = {{0002-9262}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{1152--1154}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{American Journal of Epidemiology}},
  title        = {{Invited Commentary: Social Capital, Social Contexts, and Depression.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwn070}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/aje/kwn070}},
  volume       = {{167}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}