Social prescribing as 'social cure': a longitudinal study of the health benefits of social connectedness within a social prescribing pathway

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Wakefield, J. ORCID: 0000-0001-9155-9683, Kellezi, B. ORCID: 0000-0003-4825-3624, Stevenson, C. ORCID: 0000-0002-2438-6425, McNamara, N. ORCID: 0000-0003-3123-3678, Bowe, M. ORCID: 0000-0002-0491-1472, Wilson, I. ORCID: 0000-0001-6670-9328, Halder, M. ORCID: 0000-0002-1608-6027 and Mair, E., 2021. Social prescribing as 'social cure': a longitudinal study of the health benefits of social connectedness within a social prescribing pathway. Journal of Health Psychology, 27 (2), pp. 386-396. ISSN 1359-1053

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105320944991

Abstract

We examined whether the Social Cure (SC) perspective explains the efficacy of a Social Prescribing (SP) pathway which addresses healthcare needs through enhancing social connections. Data were collected at pathway entry from patients with long-term health conditions, or who felt isolated/lonely/socially anxious (N=630), and then again four months later (N=178), and six-nine months later (N=63). Being on the pathway was associated with increased group memberships between T0 and T1. The relationship between increased group memberships and quality-of-life was serially mediated by belonging, support, and loneliness. This study is the first to show that SP enhances health/well-being via SC mechanisms.

Item Type:

Journal article

Publication Title:

Journal of Health Psychology

Creators:

Wakefield, J., Kellezi, B., Stevenson, C., McNamara, N., Bowe, M., Wilson, I., Halder, M. and Mair, E.

Publisher:

Sage

Date:

1 February 2021

Volume:

Number: