We aim to expand the view of a patient from a solitary person to an individual embedded in a social network. Our group quantitatively maps patients' social networks, meaning the connections to family, friends, and acquaintances. We think deeply about the effects of illness on this network and the network effects on illness trajectories. Our findings suggest that social networks are an under-recognized factor in clinical studies and interventions, and may be harnessed to improve patients' lives.

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We study social networks in various illnesses including stroke, heart attacks, multiple sclerosis, concussions, and normal aging.