Social Networks and Health provides a comprehensive introduction to how social networks influence health behaviors. Section one provides an introduction to major research themes and perspectives used to understand how networks form, evolve, and channel the spread of ideas and behaviors. An intellectual history of the field is provided as well as conjectures on why network science took so long to develop. Methodologies for studying networks and assessing personal network data are discussed. Section two covers algorithms and applications of the most common network metrics divided into four chap ... More

Social Networks and Health provides a comprehensive introduction to how social networks influence health behaviors. Section one provides an introduction to major research themes and perspectives used to understand how networks form, evolve, and channel the spread of ideas and behaviors. An intellectual history of the field is provided as well as conjectures on why network science took so long to develop. Methodologies for studying networks and assessing personal network data are discussed. Section two covers algorithms and applications of the most common network metrics divided into four chapters: centrality, groups, positions, and network level. For each chapter, descriptions of how the metrics are calculated and how they influence health behavior are presented. Section three reviews applications of social network analysis to health behaviors. The actor-oriented stochastic evolution model is presented first which provides a way to statistically test network evolution properties. Diffusion of innovations models are presented next which describe how networks influence the spread of ideas and practices within and between communities. Network interventions are also presented and a typology describing network interventions and evidence from empirical studies presented. This book enables researchers to understand how network data are collected and processed; and how to calculate appropriate metrics and models used to understand network influences on health behavior. Simple examples and data are presented throughout so researchers can adopt this methodology and perspective in their own investigations. Examples of health behaviors include smoking, substance use, contraception, HIV/AIDS, obesity, and many others.