Longevity increased by positive self-perceptions of aging.
This research found that older individuals with more positive self-perceptions of aging, measured up to 23 years earlier, lived 7.5 years longer than those with less positive self-perceptions of aging. This advantage remained after age, gender, socioeconomic status, loneliness, and functional health were included as covariates. It was also found that this effect is partially mediated by will to live. The sample consisted of 660 individuals aged 50 and older who participated in a community-based survey, the Ohio Longitudinal Study of Aging and Retirement (OLSAR). By matching the OLSAR to mortality data recently obtained from the National Death Index, the authors were able to conduct survival analyses. The findings suggest that the self-perceptions of stigmatized groups can influence longevity.
Levy
Becca R
BR
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8034, USA. becca.levy@yale.edu
Slade
Martin D
MD
Kunkel
Suzanne R
SR
Kasl
Stanislav V
SV
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009820:Ohio / Q000453:epidemiology; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012649:Self Concept; D013240:Stereotyping; D016019:Survival Analysis