Sense of Purpose in Life and Subsequent Physical, Behavioral, and Psychosocial Health: An Outcome-Wide Approach

Growing evidence indicates that a higher sense of in life ( ) is associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases and mortality. However, epidemiological studies have not evaluated if change in is associated with subsequent health and well-being outcomes. We evaluated if positive change in (between...

Ausführliche Beschreibung

Gespeichert in:
Bibliographische Detailangaben
Veröffentlicht in:American journal of health promotion Jg. 36; H. 1; S. 137
Hauptverfasser: Kim, Eric S, Chen, Ying, Nakamura, Julia S, Ryff, Carol D, VanderWeele, Tyler J
Format: Journal Article
Sprache:Englisch
Veröffentlicht: United States 01.01.2022
Schlagworte:
ISSN:2168-6602, 2168-6602
Online-Zugang:Weitere Angaben
Tags: Tag hinzufügen
Keine Tags, Fügen Sie den ersten Tag hinzu!
Abstract Growing evidence indicates that a higher sense of in life ( ) is associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases and mortality. However, epidemiological studies have not evaluated if change in is associated with subsequent health and well-being outcomes. We evaluated if positive change in (between t ; 2006/2008 and t ;2010/2012) was associated with better outcomes on 35 indicators of physical health, health behaviors, and psychosocial well-being (at t ;2014/2016). We used data from 12,998 participants in the Health and Retirement study-a prospective and nationally representative cohort of U.S. adults aged >50. We conducted multiple linear-, logistic-, and generalized linear regressions. Over the 4-year follow-up period, people with the highest (versus lowest) purpose had better subsequent physical health outcomes (e.g., 46% reduced risk of mortality (95% CI [0.44, 0.66])), health behaviors (e.g., 13% reduced risk of sleep problems (95% CI [0.77, 0.99])), and psychosocial outcomes (e.g., higher optimism (β = 0.41, 95% CI [0.35, 0.47]), 43% reduced risk of depression (95% CI [0.46, 0.69]), lower loneliness (β = -0.35, 95% CI [-0.41, -0.29])). Importantly, however, purpose was not associated with other physical health outcomes, health behaviors, and social factors. With further research, these results suggest that sense of purpose might be a valuable target for innovative policy and intervention work aimed at improving health and well-being.
AbstractList Growing evidence indicates that a higher sense of purpose in life (purpose) is associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases and mortality. However, epidemiological studies have not evaluated if change in purpose is associated with subsequent health and well-being outcomes.PURPOSEGrowing evidence indicates that a higher sense of purpose in life (purpose) is associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases and mortality. However, epidemiological studies have not evaluated if change in purpose is associated with subsequent health and well-being outcomes.We evaluated if positive change in purpose (between t0; 2006/2008 and t1;2010/2012) was associated with better outcomes on 35 indicators of physical health, health behaviors, and psychosocial well-being (at t2;2014/2016).DESIGNWe evaluated if positive change in purpose (between t0; 2006/2008 and t1;2010/2012) was associated with better outcomes on 35 indicators of physical health, health behaviors, and psychosocial well-being (at t2;2014/2016).We used data from 12,998 participants in the Health and Retirement study-a prospective and nationally representative cohort of U.S. adults aged >50.SAMPLEWe used data from 12,998 participants in the Health and Retirement study-a prospective and nationally representative cohort of U.S. adults aged >50.We conducted multiple linear-, logistic-, and generalized linear regressions.ANALYSISWe conducted multiple linear-, logistic-, and generalized linear regressions.Over the 4-year follow-up period, people with the highest (versus lowest) purpose had better subsequent physical health outcomes (e.g., 46% reduced risk of mortality (95% CI [0.44, 0.66])), health behaviors (e.g., 13% reduced risk of sleep problems (95% CI [0.77, 0.99])), and psychosocial outcomes (e.g., higher optimism (β = 0.41, 95% CI [0.35, 0.47]), 43% reduced risk of depression (95% CI [0.46, 0.69]), lower loneliness (β = -0.35, 95% CI [-0.41, -0.29])). Importantly, however, purpose was not associated with other physical health outcomes, health behaviors, and social factors.RESULTSOver the 4-year follow-up period, people with the highest (versus lowest) purpose had better subsequent physical health outcomes (e.g., 46% reduced risk of mortality (95% CI [0.44, 0.66])), health behaviors (e.g., 13% reduced risk of sleep problems (95% CI [0.77, 0.99])), and psychosocial outcomes (e.g., higher optimism (β = 0.41, 95% CI [0.35, 0.47]), 43% reduced risk of depression (95% CI [0.46, 0.69]), lower loneliness (β = -0.35, 95% CI [-0.41, -0.29])). Importantly, however, purpose was not associated with other physical health outcomes, health behaviors, and social factors.With further research, these results suggest that sense of purpose might be a valuable target for innovative policy and intervention work aimed at improving health and well-being.CONCLUSIONWith further research, these results suggest that sense of purpose might be a valuable target for innovative policy and intervention work aimed at improving health and well-being.
Growing evidence indicates that a higher sense of in life ( ) is associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases and mortality. However, epidemiological studies have not evaluated if change in is associated with subsequent health and well-being outcomes. We evaluated if positive change in (between t ; 2006/2008 and t ;2010/2012) was associated with better outcomes on 35 indicators of physical health, health behaviors, and psychosocial well-being (at t ;2014/2016). We used data from 12,998 participants in the Health and Retirement study-a prospective and nationally representative cohort of U.S. adults aged >50. We conducted multiple linear-, logistic-, and generalized linear regressions. Over the 4-year follow-up period, people with the highest (versus lowest) purpose had better subsequent physical health outcomes (e.g., 46% reduced risk of mortality (95% CI [0.44, 0.66])), health behaviors (e.g., 13% reduced risk of sleep problems (95% CI [0.77, 0.99])), and psychosocial outcomes (e.g., higher optimism (β = 0.41, 95% CI [0.35, 0.47]), 43% reduced risk of depression (95% CI [0.46, 0.69]), lower loneliness (β = -0.35, 95% CI [-0.41, -0.29])). Importantly, however, purpose was not associated with other physical health outcomes, health behaviors, and social factors. With further research, these results suggest that sense of purpose might be a valuable target for innovative policy and intervention work aimed at improving health and well-being.
Author Kim, Eric S
Nakamura, Julia S
VanderWeele, Tyler J
Ryff, Carol D
Chen, Ying
Author_xml – sequence: 1
  givenname: Eric S
  orcidid: 0000-0002-1510-8976
  surname: Kim
  fullname: Kim, Eric S
  organization: Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
– sequence: 2
  givenname: Ying
  surname: Chen
  fullname: Chen, Ying
  organization: Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
– sequence: 3
  givenname: Julia S
  orcidid: 0000-0002-6015-4146
  surname: Nakamura
  fullname: Nakamura, Julia S
  organization: Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
– sequence: 4
  givenname: Carol D
  surname: Ryff
  fullname: Ryff, Carol D
  organization: Institute on Aging, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
– sequence: 5
  givenname: Tyler J
  orcidid: 0000-0002-6112-0239
  surname: VanderWeele
  fullname: VanderWeele, Tyler J
  organization: Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
BackLink https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34405718$$D View this record in MEDLINE/PubMed
BookMark eNpNkEtLxDAUhYOMOA_9AW4kSxdW82jS1t04-IKBGRjFZUnSWxppk9q0wvx7OziCq_MtDvdyvjmaOO8AoUtKbilNkjuSZmQEyiglPBWxOEEzRmUaSUnY5B9P0TyET0KYoIScoSmPYyISms6Q34ELgH2Jt0PX-hGtw2tbAlauwLtBB_gawPV4W-2DNaq-wQ9QqW_ruwMfStuwN5UP3lhV4xdQdV_d46XDm6E3voHowxaAl23beWWqc3RaqjrAxTEX6P3p8W31Eq03z6-r5ToysZR9BIlRWaKNVoJTzSlkKQAps5QWmgGTWlNBlOaSxJyrhBJZKp4QnRWZFAkUbIGuf--Ob8cBoc8bGwzUtXLgh5AzIUcZko9OFujqWB10A0XedrZR3T7_k8R-AIqaatM
CitedBy_id crossref_primary_10_1007_s11357_025_01625_6
crossref_primary_10_1016_j_ypmed_2022_107310
crossref_primary_10_1016_j_ypmed_2024_107912
crossref_primary_10_1136_bmjopen_2024_088636
crossref_primary_10_1177_15598276251345455
crossref_primary_10_4103_jehp_jehp_840_23
crossref_primary_10_3917_cerpsy_174_0060
crossref_primary_10_1007_s10902_024_00771_6
crossref_primary_10_1177_08982643231156721
crossref_primary_10_1515_jom_2024_0121
crossref_primary_10_3389_fped_2023_1133255
crossref_primary_10_1016_j_jpsychores_2024_111957
crossref_primary_10_1080_07317115_2024_2400283
crossref_primary_10_1136_bmjopen_2021_058257
crossref_primary_10_3390_ijerph20085456
crossref_primary_10_1016_j_paid_2023_112227
crossref_primary_10_1007_s12144_024_07086_y
crossref_primary_10_1080_17439760_2025_2542234
crossref_primary_10_1186_s40359_025_02752_7
crossref_primary_10_1016_j_jad_2025_120221
crossref_primary_10_1515_jci_2022_0074
crossref_primary_10_3389_fnins_2024_1488841
crossref_primary_10_1007_s00246_024_03560_3
crossref_primary_10_1089_ict_2024_29119_mgg
crossref_primary_10_1016_j_envint_2023_108344
crossref_primary_10_1080_13607863_2025_2550357
crossref_primary_10_3390_educsci13121170
crossref_primary_10_3389_fpsyt_2024_1443978
crossref_primary_10_1177_08902070231176702
crossref_primary_10_1111_sjop_13011
crossref_primary_10_1097_NMD_0000000000001657
crossref_primary_10_1016_j_gerinurse_2025_05_018
crossref_primary_10_1007_s11357_024_01073_8
crossref_primary_10_1080_13607863_2024_2445136
crossref_primary_10_1177_23337214241236039
crossref_primary_10_1080_00223980_2024_2428925
crossref_primary_10_1001_jamanetworkopen_2021_47797
crossref_primary_10_3390_ijerph20126091
crossref_primary_10_1080_13607863_2024_2434571
crossref_primary_10_1017_S1355617723000516
crossref_primary_10_1080_10888691_2025_2505134
crossref_primary_10_1111_jftr_12595
crossref_primary_10_1891_JCP_2024_0037
crossref_primary_10_3389_fpsyg_2022_1112308
crossref_primary_10_3389_fpsyg_2023_1176595
crossref_primary_10_1038_s44184_025_00127_9
crossref_primary_10_1016_j_ypmed_2023_107495
crossref_primary_10_1097_PSY_0000000000001278
crossref_primary_10_1007_s10902_025_00858_8
crossref_primary_10_1371_journal_pone_0313609
crossref_primary_10_1136_bmjgh_2023_014678
crossref_primary_10_1080_10888691_2025_2510282
crossref_primary_10_20935_MHealthWellB6224
crossref_primary_10_1177_02654075241269678
crossref_primary_10_1080_17482631_2023_2278904
crossref_primary_10_33546_bnj_3795
crossref_primary_10_3390_ijerph20186772
crossref_primary_10_1007_s41042_024_00170_5
crossref_primary_10_1016_j_ajic_2023_12_006
crossref_primary_10_1111_aphw_12389
crossref_primary_10_1007_s10461_025_04644_8
crossref_primary_10_1177_08902070251329072
crossref_primary_10_1186_s41687_025_00854_9
crossref_primary_10_3390_ijerph20032374
crossref_primary_10_1007_s40520_023_02684_5
crossref_primary_10_1002_jclp_23576
crossref_primary_10_1016_j_ijme_2025_101233
crossref_primary_10_1186_s44263_025_00140_2
crossref_primary_10_1016_j_jpsychores_2024_111928
ContentType Journal Article
DBID CGR
CUY
CVF
ECM
EIF
NPM
7X8
DOI 10.1177/08901171211038545
DatabaseName Medline
MEDLINE
MEDLINE (Ovid)
MEDLINE
MEDLINE
PubMed
MEDLINE - Academic
DatabaseTitle MEDLINE
Medline Complete
MEDLINE with Full Text
PubMed
MEDLINE (Ovid)
MEDLINE - Academic
DatabaseTitleList MEDLINE - Academic
MEDLINE
Database_xml – sequence: 1
  dbid: NPM
  name: PubMed
  url: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed
  sourceTypes: Index Database
– sequence: 2
  dbid: 7X8
  name: MEDLINE - Academic
  url: https://search.proquest.com/medline
  sourceTypes: Aggregation Database
DeliveryMethod no_fulltext_linktorsrc
Discipline Public Health
EISSN 2168-6602
ExternalDocumentID 34405718
Genre Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
GrantInformation_xml – fundername: NIA NIH HHS
  grantid: K99 AG055696
– fundername: NIA NIH HHS
  grantid: U01 AG009740
GroupedDBID ---
-TM
-~X
0R~
23M
2KS
2QV
36B
44B
53G
54M
5GY
5RE
6J9
9M8
AABMB
AACMV
AADUE
AAEJI
AAEWN
AAGGD
AAGLT
AAIKC
AAITX
AAJPV
AAKTJ
AAMNW
AANEX
AANSI
AAOVH
AAPEO
AAPII
AAQOH
AAQXH
AAQXI
AARDL
AARIX
AATAA
AAWLO
AAWTL
ABAWP
ABCCA
ABCJG
ABDPE
ABDWY
ABEIX
ABFNE
ABFWQ
ABFXH
ABHKI
ABIDT
ABIVO
ABJNI
ABKRH
ABLUO
ABPGX
ABPNF
ABQKF
ABQPY
ABQXT
ABRHV
ABUJY
ABYTW
ACARO
ACCVC
ACDSZ
ACDXX
ACFEJ
ACFMA
ACFUR
ACFZE
ACGBL
ACGFO
ACGFS
ACHQT
ACJER
ACLHI
ACNCT
ACOFE
ACONW
ACOXC
ACROE
ACSIQ
ACUAV
ACUFS
ACUIR
ACXKE
ACXMB
ADBBV
ADEBD
ADEIA
ADGDL
ADPEE
ADRRZ
ADTBJ
ADTOS
ADUKH
ADUKL
ADVBO
AECGH
AEDXQ
AEGXH
AEOBU
AEPTA
AEQLS
AESMA
AESZF
AEWDL
AEWHI
AEXNY
AFEET
AFGYO
AFKRG
AFMOU
AFQAA
AFUIA
AGDVU
AGKLV
AGNHF
AGNWV
AGWFA
AHDMH
AHWHD
AIAGR
AIIQI
AJEFB
AJGYC
AJMMQ
AJUZI
AJVBE
AJXAJ
ALKWR
ALMA_UNASSIGNED_HOLDINGS
AMCVQ
AMNSR
ARTOV
AUTPY
AWUYY
AYAKG
AYPQM
BBRGL
BDDNI
BDZRT
BKIIM
BMVBW
BPACV
C45
CBRKF
CCGJY
CEADM
CFDXU
CGR
CORYS
CQQTX
CUY
CVF
DC-
DC.
DOPDO
DV7
DV8
DXH
EBD
EBO
EBS
ECM
EIF
EJD
F5P
FHBDP
GROUPED_SAGE_PREMIER_JOURNAL_COLLECTION
H13
HZ~
H~9
J8X
K.F
KOO
NPM
O9-
OHT
OMK
OVD
P2P
PQQKQ
Q1R
ROL
SASJQ
SAUOL
SCNPE
SFC
SFH
SHG
SJN
SPV
SSDHQ
TEORI
TH9
UCV
UKR
UPT
WH7
XOL
YYP
YZZ
ZCA
ZGI
ZONMY
ZPLXX
ZPPRI
ZRKOI
ZT4
~32
7X8
AJHME
ID FETCH-LOGICAL-c466t-e7ca97bcba531b31e98ee0f981db2e26bb150ab360433a7106fa370b9d9657ed2
IEDL.DBID 7X8
ISICitedReferencesCount 78
ISICitedReferencesURI http://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=Summon&SrcAuth=ProQuest&DestLinkType=CitingArticles&DestApp=WOS_CPL&KeyUT=000685987500001&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcvtisr.summon.serialssolutions.com%2F%23%21%2Fsearch%3Fho%3Df%26include.ft.matches%3Dt%26l%3Dnull%26q%3D
ISSN 2168-6602
IngestDate Sat Sep 27 21:49:18 EDT 2025
Mon Jul 21 05:43:52 EDT 2025
IsDoiOpenAccess false
IsOpenAccess true
IsPeerReviewed true
IsScholarly true
Issue 1
Keywords epidemiology
well-being
psychological well-being
sense of purpose
purpose in life
Language English
LinkModel DirectLink
MergedId FETCHMERGED-LOGICAL-c466t-e7ca97bcba531b31e98ee0f981db2e26bb150ab360433a7106fa370b9d9657ed2
Notes ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 23
ORCID 0000-0002-6015-4146
0000-0002-6112-0239
0000-0002-1510-8976
OpenAccessLink https://doi.org/10.1177/08901171211038545
PMID 34405718
PQID 2562516300
PQPubID 23479
ParticipantIDs proquest_miscellaneous_2562516300
pubmed_primary_34405718
PublicationCentury 2000
PublicationDate 2022-01-01
PublicationDateYYYYMMDD 2022-01-01
PublicationDate_xml – month: 01
  year: 2022
  text: 2022-01-01
  day: 01
PublicationDecade 2020
PublicationPlace United States
PublicationPlace_xml – name: United States
PublicationTitle American journal of health promotion
PublicationTitleAlternate Am J Health Promot
PublicationYear 2022
SSID ssj0025100
Score 2.5924783
Snippet Growing evidence indicates that a higher sense of in life ( ) is associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases and mortality. However, epidemiological...
Growing evidence indicates that a higher sense of purpose in life (purpose) is associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases and mortality. However,...
SourceID proquest
pubmed
SourceType Aggregation Database
Index Database
StartPage 137
SubjectTerms Aged
Chronic Disease
Cohort Studies
Health Behavior
Humans
Loneliness
Prospective Studies
Title Sense of Purpose in Life and Subsequent Physical, Behavioral, and Psychosocial Health: An Outcome-Wide Approach
URI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34405718
https://www.proquest.com/docview/2562516300
Volume 36
WOSCitedRecordID wos000685987500001&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcvtisr.summon.serialssolutions.com%2F%23%21%2Fsearch%3Fho%3Df%26include.ft.matches%3Dt%26l%3Dnull%26q%3D
hasFullText
inHoldings 1
isFullTextHit
isPrint
link http://cvtisr.summon.serialssolutions.com/2.0.0/link/0/eLvHCXMwpV1LS8QwEA6-DoL4fqwvIni0uE3bPLzIKooHXRdU3NuSxxR6aVd319_vJI16EgQvpYekhJnJ9Ms3mRlCTstMFaXO0iRTnq2yvJuovMhRITbLJQhheRmaTYh-Xw6HahAJt0m8VvnlE4Ojdo31HPk580g99QWiLsdvie8a5aOrsYXGPFnMEMp4qxbD7ygCjg8pKCzlMuG8y2JUMxRckj7nUvgCZz42lhe_I8zwp7ld--8a18lqxJi01xrFBpmDepOstAQdbfOOtkjzhAdYoE1JByjrBl-rmt5XJVBdO-r9SbhkPaWDqMkzevWd0n8WBrXOs2Xd43cvaK-mj7MprheS18oB7cWi5dvk5fbm-fouid0XEptzPk1AWK2EsUbjNjVZCkoCdEuFANcwYNwYxJLaZNyXQNMIVDjqXHSNcooXAhzbIQt1U8MeoYxZWRiVOpfq3GmnEHTiMQ2kA5tLrTvk5EueI7RuH7LQNTSzyehHoh2y2yplNG7LcIyy3IPNVO7_YfYBWWY-byFwJ4dkscS9DUdkyX5Mq8n7cTAbfPYHD5-WHMs7
linkProvider ProQuest
openUrl ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF-8&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fsummon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Sense+of+Purpose+in+Life+and+Subsequent+Physical%2C+Behavioral%2C+and+Psychosocial+Health%3A+An+Outcome-Wide+Approach&rft.jtitle=American+journal+of+health+promotion&rft.au=Kim%2C+Eric+S&rft.au=Chen%2C+Ying&rft.au=Nakamura%2C+Julia+S&rft.au=Ryff%2C+Carol+D&rft.date=2022-01-01&rft.issn=2168-6602&rft.eissn=2168-6602&rft.volume=36&rft.issue=1&rft.spage=137&rft_id=info:doi/10.1177%2F08901171211038545&rft.externalDBID=NO_FULL_TEXT
thumbnail_l http://covers-cdn.summon.serialssolutions.com/index.aspx?isbn=/lc.gif&issn=2168-6602&client=summon
thumbnail_m http://covers-cdn.summon.serialssolutions.com/index.aspx?isbn=/mc.gif&issn=2168-6602&client=summon
thumbnail_s http://covers-cdn.summon.serialssolutions.com/index.aspx?isbn=/sc.gif&issn=2168-6602&client=summon