Relationship interdependence and social support among men of color: Implications for male lay health advisor programs

Men of color are among the most neglected populations in the United States, experiencing the poorest health outcomes and largest healthcare barriers. Nonetheless, there is lack of research and understanding about the functional aspects of helping relationships between men, especially how they influence each other's health behaviors. This study examined the effects of relationship interdependence properties between male lay health advisors (LHA) and the men they helped (Confidants) using baseline and 6-month follow-up data from a male LHA intervention study. Guided by Interdependence Theory, we examined the effects of (a) relationship interdependence and (b) LHA healthcare utilization on the patterns of Confidant healthcare utilization. Healthcare utilization referred to healthcare visits for routine or screening/diagnostic exam in past six months. Relationship interdependence referred to relationship diversity, length, interaction frequency, and closeness. The study sample included 227 African-American and Latino men in the Southeast United States. We used multilevel modeling techniques to analyze the data. Three descriptors, Confidant age, income and baseline healthcare visits (p<.05), had a significant positive association with Confidant healthcare visits. A significant interaction effect was found between LHA healthcare utilization and Confidant perceived closeness with LHA (p<.05). The higher the closeness between Confidants and LHAs, the stronger the magnitude of the positive effect between LHA and Confidant healthcare utilization. These results provide support for examining further the impact of LHA characteristics and relationship interdependence properties on Confidant health behaviors. This information can assist in determining what constitutes the most efficacious Confidant-LHA dyad profile for improving Confidant health outcomes.