Egocentric Social Network Analysis of Cardiovascular Disease in South Asians: Preliminary Evidence from Urban India

Laura Kelly, University of Pennsylvania
Dorairaj Prabhakaran, Center for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC)

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in India, with a unique Asian Indian pathogenesis disproportionately affecting urban and migrant populations. Recent findings reveal clustering of cardiovascular risk within social networks, suggesting the utility of social network analysis in both the prediction and prevention of cardiovascular disease. We introduce an instrument to capture social network information in South Asians using a representative adult population of urban Asian Indians. This study combined extensive cardiovascular risk profiles of participants in an ongoing cardio-metabolic surveillance system with comprehensive egocentric social network information captured in our pilot instrument. We quantify and characterize egocentric social networks of the urban community in Delhi, and we seek to analyze the patterns and extent of cardiovascular risk within the observed social networks. Our conclusions will set a precedent of social network structure among urban Indians and illuminate patterns of cardiovascular risk within these social networks.