The use of available social support networks by older blacks.

Research has indicated that strong social networks positively influence the health of older Black adults. However, scales used in studies to measure social support do not reveal whether these networks are actually activated. The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe the reasons older Blacks with chronic illnesses did not utilize available support networks in their health care management. Following a community-based survey of 383 older Blacks, where each participant had a social support score completed from the Lubben Social Network Scale, a smaller group of 116 Blacks was selected to participate in a qualitative interview. It was found that 59 out of the 116 older Blacks had high social support scores on the Lubben Scale, but only 40 of these individuals reported the use of support networks for the maintenance of their health regimen. These findings illustrated that some older Blacks with strong support networks chose to function independently of their social support networks in the maintenance of their health.