The relationship between neighborhood social capital and health from a biopsychosocial perspective: A systematic review

Abstract

Background: The Social Determinants of Health (SDH) influence the health of people throughout their lives, and can be positive, protective or risk factors for the population and, in turn, biological, psychological, or social. The social environment conditions the health status of the neighborhood, population, and social group, which can be a health asset due to its strong psychosocial and socio-cultural influence. Social capital is a community asset of the healthy neighborhood that must be known in order to promote community health. Objectives: The objective is to determine the relationship between social capital and neighborhood biopsychosocial health. Methods: A systematic review was conducted based on PRISMA: PubMed, Wos, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane databases. The search was conducted from January to March 2023. Three authors independently extracted data using a structured form. Results: Out of 527 records, 17 results passed the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The positive and statistically significant relationship between neighborhood social capital (NSC) and the physical and mental health of neighbors is confirmed, that is, the higher the NSC, the more exercise, better oral health in children and physical health in pregnant women, lower tobacco consumption and lower prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus. At the psychological level, greater NSC leads to better mental health, mental well-being, life satisfaction, quality of life, self-perceived health, higher cognitive function, and less depression. Conclusions: In conclusion, social capital is an important SDH and health asset that influences neighborhood biopsychosocial health and should be known and researched for health promotion in community settings. More evidence is needed to support the results obtained.