Finally, our findings lead us to recommend that investigators interested in examining the role of social resources on health outcomes in
people living with HIV or other marginalized populations should include measures of social belonging and social capital. The information
yielded by these separate instruments was distinct and significant
allowing for a more nuanced understanding of the social resources necessary for optimal health outcomes in this population. An additional advantage of the Social Capital Scale is that social support networks are a
subscale of the instrument and allows investigators who are also interested in social support networks to analyze the subscale separately. Appropriate psychometric testing must be done before analyzing the
subscale in lieu of a separate measure of social network support. Clinicians who routinely assess social resources of their clients in order to develop a holistic care plan, should be aware that there are distinctions
between social belonging, social support networks and social capital.
These unique constructs have differential associations with health behaviors and quality of life that are often the goal of the treatment plan.
It will be important to maintain a conceptual clarity and verbal precision
when assessing patients’ social resources