Cross-National Comparisons of Transnational Social Networks and Health among Left Behind Older Adults in the Americas - Project Abstract/Summary Outmigration profoundly impacts the health and well-being of older adults who remain in communities of origin – the so- called “left behind”. Evidence suggests that left-behind older adults are predisposed to increased levels of depression4, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and poor physical health due to familial separation, changes in social network structures, increased social isolation, and absence of instrumental support. As in many migrant-sending societies, Puerto Rico faces substantial challenges owing to rapid population aging and pressures on its family networks because of outmigration. Most outmigrants from Puerto Rico are young adults, which means that ever-larger cohorts of people will enter older adulthood without the dense family networks that have traditionally been a mainstay of social support in this and many other contexts. At the onset of the current migration wave, approximately 33% of Puerto Rican older adults report living alone, and 48% of older adults have at least one adult-child residing in another country. Likewise, even as other Caribbean and Central American societies face similar issues stemming from high rates of out-migration, Puerto Rico presents a particular case, given its relationship with the United States and the possibility that its migrants can more easily return for short visits, resettle, or engage in circular migration patterns. Though an increasing number of studies have demonstrated important links between smaller local social networks and well-being in various global contexts, no prior study has assessed the prevalence, predictors, or consequences of this phenomenon in Puerto Rico, nor how it compares against other contexts. This research project will examine social network typologies, their association with health, and how Puerto Rico compares to other relevant contexts. We will use data from a NIA-funded studies in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Costa Rica, and the United States. We will 1) Characterize and compare contemporary social network structures of older adults in Puerto Rico and comparator contexts, 2) Examine within-person changes of social network composition and its association with health among older adults in Puerto Rico and comparator contexts. 3) Estimate and project the kinship networks of older adults in Puerto Rico, and Mexico. This research project will provide a better understanding on social networks in late life in the Caribbean, Latin America and the United States and potentially provide evidence for strategic interventions aimed at buffering the effect of migration and transnational family ties. We will examine social network trajectories, its association with health, and project kinship networks; this has the potential to inform more specialized interventions geared towards higher risk older adults, with the goal of reducing health disparities and promoting healthy aging.
