Social networks, social capital, i.e., network-accessed resources, and neighbourhood environments have been shown associated with a range of health behaviours and conditions, including obesity, physical activity, nutrition, and mental health. Research on social capital and health in Montreal has shown the importance of network social capital for a person's subjective health status, sense of control, self-reported physical activity, and obesity. Research has also shown high social capital to reduce health service use, mental health service use, and improve the management of chronic illnesses. Despite advances in the understanding of social capital and its link to health and health service use, most research on social capital is cross sectional and is unable to identify the causal pathways linking social networks and capital to health and health care use. Longitudinal research would strengthen the evidence base for designing interventions to prevent or delay the use of health services, particularly in older adults.

This research has three main objectives: (1) transform the original sample of Montreal Neighbourhood Networks and Healthy Aging (MoNNET-HA) households (n=2707) into a panel study, (2) link the MoNNET-HA participant data to their Quebec Health Insurance Registry (Régie de l'assurance maladie (RAMQ)) information, and (3) assess the feasibility of extending the MoNNET-HA panel by one wave to include participant's core network members. Unique about the original MoNNET-HA sample is that it purposefully oversampled older adults (> 64 years old) but remains representative of Montreal adults at various ages and income levels. In addition, MoNNET-HA data is integrated into a GIS database which allows researchers to examine the effects of neighbourhood environmental characteristics on health. By linking MoNNET-HA data to RAMQ, researchers will be able to examine patterns of diagnosed health conditions, (e.g., fractures, depression), pharmaceutical use and adherence, and formal health care use over time. Transforming the cross-sectional study into a panel study would also allow researchers to examine longitudinally the dynamics of health and health care utilization among Panel participants over the life course, and the causal pathways linking neighbourhoods and networks to health and health care use.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults 25 years and older,
• Residents of the Montreal Metropolitan Area, Canada,
• Had to reside at current residence for at least one year

Exclusion Criteria:

• Non- French or English-speaking households
• Institutionalized

Population-based sample of adults randomly selected using a 2-stage stratified cluster sampling strategy.

1. In the first stage, 862 Montreal Metropolitan Area census tracts were stratified using the census-tract median income into tertile of high, medium and low income census tract areas. From each tertile, 100 census tracts were selected at random from each census-tract group for a total of 300 tracts.
2. Within each selected census tract, three respondents were selected at random using from the 25-44 years age category, three respondents from the 45-64 years age category, and three respondents from the age group 65 years and older. This resulted in a total of 9 respondents per census tract and a total of 2707 respondents the MoNNET Panel.

Discussions currently taking place.