title: Optimism and Cardiovascular Health: Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the cross-sectional association between optimism and cardiovascular health (CVH).
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data collected from adults aged 52-84 who participated in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) (n=5,134) during the first follow-up visit (2002-2004). Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine associations of optimism with ideal and intermediate CVH (with reference being poor CVH), after adjusting for socio-demographic factors and psychological ill-being.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants in the highest quartile of optimism were more likely to have intermediate [OR=1.51:95%CI=1.25,1.82] and ideal [OR=1.92:95%CI=1.30,2.85] CVH when compared to the least optimistic group. Individual CVH metrics of diet, physical activity, BMI, smoking, blood sugar and total cholesterol contributed to the overall association.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We offer evidence for a cross-sectional association between optimism and CVH.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL.
authors.forename: Rosalba
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.affiliation: Dept of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Kiarri N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Kershaw
authors.affiliation: Dept of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Juned
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Siddique
authors.affiliation: Dept of Psychology, Chapman University, Orange, CA.
authors.forename: Julia K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Boehm
authors.affiliation: Dept of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Laura D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Kubzansky
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diez-Roux
authors.affiliation: Dept of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ning
authors.affiliation: Dept of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Donald M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Lloyd-Jones
keywords: cardiovascular health; optimism; well-being