By: John O’Neil, New York Times
Friday, December 13, 2002


New York Times Health Section article, November 12, 2002

People who described themselves as providing either emotional support to a spouse or tangible help to someone in another household were roughly half as likely to die in the five years that followed as those who did neither, the study found.

In contrast, receiving such support did not appear to make a difference in survival.

Dr. Stephanie L. Brown, a psychologist and the study's lead author, said earlier research had established the positive effects of social contact on mortality. This study was carried out to determine which part of social contact played the most important role, Dr. Brown said.

"What is beneficial about being in a close relationship is rooted in the contribution we make, not in the support we receive from these individuals," Dr. Brown said.