Social determinants of health and survival in humans and other animals

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 368; no. 6493
• Main Authors: Snyder-Mackler, Noah, Burger, Joseph Robert, Gaydosh, Lauren, Belsky, Daniel W., Noppert, Grace A., Campos, Fernando A., Bartolomucci, Alessandro, Yang, Yang Claire, Aiello, Allison E., O’Rand, Angela, Harris, Kathleen Mullan, Shively, Carol A., Alberts, Susan C., Tung, Jenny
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The American Association for the Advancement of Science 22.05.2020
• Subjects: Animal diseases; Animal models; Animal physiology; Animals; Arteriosclerosis; Atherosclerosis; Attrition (Research Studies); Biological activity; Biological evolution; Biologists; Comparative Analysis; Comparative studies; Echoes; Effect Size; Environmental effects; Environmental Influences; Evolution; Fitness; Genetic Fitness; Health risks; Human populations; Humans; Immune response; Integration; Interpersonal Relationship; Laboratory animals; Laboratory tests; Life span; Links; Longevity - genetics; Longevity - physiology; Mammals; Mammals - genetics; Mammals - physiology; Morbidity; Mortality; Mortality risk; Physiology; Populations; Reproductive fitness; Risk; Scientists; Social behavior; Social Determinants of Health; Social Environment; Social Experience; Social factors; Social Integration; Social interactions; Social Status; Species; Studies; Survival; Well being
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.aax9553

Much research over the past decade or so has revealed that health and lifespan in humans, highly social animals, are reduced with social adversity. We humans are not the only animals that are social, however, and similar research has shown that other social mammals are similarly influenced by isolation and adversity. Snyder-Mackler et al. reviewed the relationships between social environment and many aspects of health and well-being across nonhuman mammals and investigated the similarities between these and patterns in humans. They found many of the same threats and responses across social mammals. Science , this issue p. eaax9553 The social environment, both in early life and adulthood, is one of the strongest predictors of morbidity and mortality risk in humans. Evidence from long-term studies of other social mammals indicates that this relationship is similar across many species. In addition, experimental studies show that social interactions can causally alter animal physiology, disease risk, and life span itself. These findings highlight the importance of the social environment to health and mortality as well as Darwinian fitness—outcomes of interest to social scientists and biologists alike. They thus emphasize the utility of cross-species analysis for understanding the predictors of, and mechanisms underlying, social gradients in health.