Grant: Project Grant

Social connectedness is important for promoting healthy aging among Canadians. In particular, measures of social connectedness such as marital status are linked to greater survival and less chronic disease. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has really highlighted the importance of social ties, older people are especially at high risk of transitioning from multiple to few or no social ties, and this can threaten health differently in women versus men. However, there is very little research examining whether and how changes in different social ties influence the biological indicators of aging, or how their effects vary for women and men. Our preliminary work suggests that marital status, social participation, social networks and living arrangement are more strongly linked to linked to obesity and hypertension in women than men in Canada. Far less is known about whether economic circumstances alter the importance of social connectedness for cardiovascular risk. To fill these critical knowledge gaps, the current project will build on our initial work to (1) assess changes in obesity and hypertension over time in women and men by types of social tie transitions; (2) quantify how changes in different social ties impact these healthy aging indicators; and (3) explore the role of financial autonomy in social connectedness and cardiovascular risk. Using established techniques, we take a unique approach of looking at sex/gender, which is typically given less attention in cardiovascular research. The results will have implications for decision-makers who shape tailored, evidence-driven policies, services and programs that promote social connections and engagement among Canadians in order to advance our national healthy aging strategy.