Social Health: third pillar of health
One of our Hub leads, Prof Jennifer Lau, co-authored an article this year describing how social health should be considered alongside physical health and mental health, and how this could help to improve the lives of people with severe mental illness (SMI).
What is Social Health?
Social health is defined by our relationships and social lives. It looks at how many connections we have, how strong they are, and whether they feel supportive and meaningful.
For researchers, the term “social health” can bring together all parts of a person’s social life into one idea, in the same way “physical health” encompasses all parts of the body. By thinking of these things as a single concept, researchers can bring together many factors into one of overall importance.
In the article, the researchers suggest that social health can be considered as the third pillar of health, alongside physical and mental. And, they acknowledge how closely the three are linked.
Social health and SMI
We already know that social support is important in SMI. Things like poverty, unemployment, poor housing, living in crowded cities, and a lack of support from others can all affect how SMI starts, develops, and how people recover.
But here, the researchers suggest that instead of seeing social issues as background factors, social relationships and support should be seen as a core part of health, just as important as mental and physical health.
For example, they discuss how social prescribing could be more integrated into healthcare. This is when healthcare professionals refer people to non-medical support in the community, like joining a walking group or taking an art class, to improve their health and wellbeing.
What does this mean for people with SMI?
Looking at a person's social situation in a broad, structured way could really help with their care. Instead of just focusing on one thing like their job or family, it helps people with SMI and healthcare professionals understand the bigger picture.
This approach doesn't just highlight what's missing or difficult in someone's life, it also helps find social opportunities and support that could improve their wellbeing. For example, even if someone lives alone, has no job or family contact, and little money, they might still be able to join a local sports club, theatre group, volunteer organisation, or online community. By looking at social needs in this way, the focus shifts from what's wrong to what’s possible.
This means we can better understand how relationships affect SMI, and how improving social ties might lead to better results for people with SMI.
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