Social participation, interpersonal trust, and health: A study of 65- and 75-year-olds in western Finland

Aim: To study the association between social participation, interpersonal trust, and self-rated health among 65- and 75-year-olds. Methods: The data originates from a cross-sectional postal questionnaire survey conducted among 1577 persons aged 65 and 75 years in western Finland (response rate 67%). Logistic regression analyses were performed in order to investigate the association between social capital - in terms social participation and interpersonal trust - and health while controlling for sociodemographic variables. Results: The results showed that the social participation indicator ("active membership in organisations") was positively associated with health among 75-year-olds, but not among 65-year-olds. By contrast, interpersonal trust was positively associated with health in both age groups. Conclusions: The results imply that social participation and its association with health is moderated by age, whereas interpersonal trust is not.