Social Network Typologies and Health Transitions in Later Life: Exploring the Multidimensional Nature of Social Ties

Federica Prete , University of Florence, Sapienza University of Rome
Eleonora Trappolini, University of Milan-Bicocca

The European population is ageing, and together with declining fertility and changing family structures, this trend challenges traditional systems of intergenerational exchange. This study explores how different combinations of family and non-family ties are associated with changes in health among older adults. Using data from waves 6 (2015) and 9 (2021) of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), the analysis includes 12,990 respondents aged 65 and over. A Latent Class Analysis integrating indicators of network size and composition, contact frequency, receipt of help, and satisfaction with personal relationships identified six network types: family-rich, family-restricted, partner-only, diverse, multi-tie, and non-kin-focused—each characterised by different levels of support and satisfaction. Gender-stratified multinomial logistic regressions assessed the association between these network types and changes in self-rated, mental, functional, and physical health, distinguishing improvement, stability, and worsening. Compared with the Family-rich network, men in Multi-tie networks are more likely to experience improvement in mental health, while those in Partner-only networks show higher probabilities of self-rated health improvement. In contrast, men in Non-kin-focused networks are less likely to experience gains in physical performance. Among women, mental health improvements are more common in Non-kin and Multi-tie networks, while those in Partner-only show lower probabilities of improvement. For both genders, associations with worsening outcomes and physical health indicators are weak. Overall, findings suggest that network diversity plays a decisive role in sustaining psychological health in later life. Fostering non-kin connectedness and community participation could sustain well-being as family networks continue to shrink across Europe.

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 Presented in Session 31. Flash Session Family Relationships, Social Networks, Health and Wellbeing in Later Life