Resilience or Risk? Evaluating Three Pathways Linking Hispanic Immigrant Networks and Health

Abstract

There are competing perspectives on the impact of Hispanic immigrants’ social networks on health; the Hispanic health paradox views networks as sources of resilience, whereas the tenuous ties perspective views networks as sources of risk. In this study, I explore the effect of networks on health by examining three network pathways: social capital, social bonding, and network stress. Using egocentric social network data from the VidaSana Study, a survey of 547 Hispanic immigrants in Indiana, I investigate how each network pathway is associated with physical health, mental health, and health care utilization. Results show that networks with greater capital, namely, more network health knowledge, promote physical health and health care access, whereas social bonding, operationalized as close and dense networks, benefits mental health and health care utilization. Network stress contributes to worse mental health yet improved health care access. Implications for social networks and health research among the Hispanics and more broadly are discussed.