The CBC has a story about a longitudinal research study that shows people who have a strong social network of friends have longer lifespans than those without those social networks.

It puts an interesting spin on the Internet social networking phenomenon.

I'm curious if those electronic social networks will show a similar positive effect.

The bonds of friendship may help us to live longer, say researchers who found a strong social network was more important than family ties for survival.
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Those over 70 who had a strong network of friends were 22 per cent less likely to die compared to those with the weakest social network, the team found.

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Social networks with children and relatives, though, had little effect on survival.

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Friends may contribute "social capital," by discouraging risky behaviour like smoking and drinking, while lifting our mood, self-esteem and coping ability, the researchers said.

"Social network variables exerted an effect on mortality 10 years after they were measured," the team wrote in the June 16 issue of Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. "For the effects to be sustained over this long period suggests social networks are powerful factors in protecting against premature death."

I recall reading that in developed countries, senior citizens are the fastest-growing segment of new Internet users and have been for several years. I think that a study of seniors online would be be a suitable follow-up, as would reasearch that measures for effects in a younger demographic group.

You can read an abstract of the study and pay for the full text if you're interested:

Effect of social networks on 10 year survival in very old Australians: the Australian longitudinal study of aging -- Giles et al. 59 (7): 574 -- Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health