title: Family, frailty, and fatal futures? Own-health and family-health predictors of subjective life expectancy.
abstract: Subjective life expectancy is a powerful predictor of a variety of health and economic behaviors. This research expands upon the life expectancy literature by examining the influence of familial health histories. Using a genetic/environmental model, we hypothesize that individuals' assessments of their life expectancies will be linked to the health of first-degree and second-degree relatives, with same-sex relatives' health exercising a stronger effect than that of opposite-sex relatives. Multivariate analyses based on data from a 2009 survey merged with familial health records (N = 1,019) confirm that the health experiences of same-sex, first-degree relatives are linked to respondents' subjective life expectancy. The relationship between the health experiences of second-degree relatives and subjective life expectancy is much less pronounced. These findings have the potential not only to inform our understanding of health behaviors but also to encourage communication between patients and health professionals aimed at promoting preventative behaviors.
authors: Department of Family and Consumer Studies, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA zick@fcs.utah.edu.
authors: Cathleen D
authors: CD
authors: Zick
authors: Department of Family and Consumer Studies, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors: Ken R
authors: KR
authors: Smith
authors: Department of Family and Consumer Studies, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors: Robert N
authors: RN
authors: Mayer
authors: Department of Family and Consumer Studies, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors: Lorayne B
authors: LB
authors: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D015999:Multivariate Analysis
keywords: family health histories; subjective life expectancy