The Gerontologist · 1990 · 90 citations · 0 references
Social SciencesAfrican American StudiesSociologyAfrican American SociologyHealth Services ResearchMedical SociologyBlack CommunitiesFamily SupportIntergenerational SupportKinship NetworksSocial SupportSupport GroupsAccess To Social ResourcesBlack KinshipCommunity Support NetworksFormal SupportsHousehold Support NetworksIntergenerational Social Support NetworksNeighborhood Support NetworksSupport Groups For Families
These research findings compare the support networks of inner-city blacks and whites, 65 years and older, who were selected from hospital medical clinics. Both blacks and whites who are in need of help use formal supports. Blacks, however, have more active support networks than do whites despite the low incidence of support from spouses and children. These social resources result from mechanisms in black families that expand network membership through the creation of fictive kin.