The present article focuses in the bibliographical review of the liaison between social relationships and seniors' health, as well as in the interpretation and understanding of this problem under the light of two theoretical approaches: a macro, centered in Emile Durkheim's Theory of Social Integration and other micro, centered in Peter Blau´s Theory of Changes, with an emphasis in the Theory of Equity. The social integration (incidence of contacts) may have negative effects in a senior´s health; however this has to be measured by the quality of the contacts. Some of the presented conclusions indicate that social relationships have an effect in health, in the sense that people, in the modern societies, expect reciprocity. When this is not possible, especially during the aging process, people feel dependent, and this can affect health in different ways. On the other hand, when people have health problems they experience a lack of balanced social relationships due to their incapacity to exchange in equal bases. Therefore, the author concludes that the link between social relationships and health in the senior population can be a reciprocal association.
social changes; health; seniors