The Role of Social Ties and Social Support in Maintaining Physical and Mental Well-Being Among Korean Americans Living with Chronic Hepatitis B

Chronic Hepatitis B (CHB), a serious disease requiring lifelong management, disproportionately affects Asian Americans, including Korean Americans. Many Korean Americans experience linguistic and sociocultural barriers, potentially worsening health challenges. While social ties and social support are well-recognized determinants of health, their role within unique populations merits exploration. Using longitudinal survey data, we identified patterns of social ties and social support among Korean Americans living with CHB, and how these related to self-assessed physical and mental health over time. Patients in Los Angeles and Philadelphia (n = 309) completed surveys at two timepoints between 2021 and 2024. We measured social ties with the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6), social support with the eight-item Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (mMOS-SS), and self-assessed health using SF-12 Physical and Mental Component Summary Scores (PCS, MCS). Greater baseline social ties were higher among married, college-educated, and bicultural- or Western-identifying participants. Social support scores were higher among married, English-fluent, and currently working participants. Greater social ties were associated with better baseline physical health (β = 0.134, p = 0.009), and greater social support with better mental well-being (β = 0.206, p < 0.001). Controlling on baseline health, social ties predicted better follow-up PCS (β = 0.108, p = 0.012), and social support predicted better follow-up MCS (β = 0.136, p = 0.007), suggesting that social ties and social support independently and differentially influence physical and mental health over time. Strengthening both structural connections through social ties and perceived social support may delay health decline among immigrant populations managing chronic conditions.