Self-Rated Health and Mortality: Moderation by Purpose in Life

Abstract

Poor self-rated health consistently predicts reduced longevity, even when objective disease conditions and risk factors are considered. Purpose in life is also a reliable predictor of diverse health outcomes, including greater longevity. Given prior work in which we showed that purpose in life moderated the association between chronic conditions and health-related biological factors, the aim of the current study was to examine the role of purpose in life in moderating the relationship between subjective health and mortality. We also examined potential differences in these associations by race/ethnicity. Data were from two large national longitudinal studies—the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study—with a 12- to 14-year follow-up period for mortality estimates. Results of logistic regression analyses showed that purpose in life and self-rated health were both significantly positively associated with longevity, and that purpose in life significantly moderated the relationship between self-rated health and mortality. Stratified analyses showed similar results across all racial/ethnic groups, with the exception of Black MIDUS participants. These results suggest that greater purpose in life may provide a buffer against the greater probability of mortality associated with poor subjective health.

Pulse rate variability and health-related quality of life assessment with the Short Form-8 Japanese version in the general Japanese population

“…HRQOL scores consist of physical and mental components and are decreased in individuals with low physical activity 3 , insomnia 4 , diabetes 5 , and hypertension 6 . Furthermore, poor self-rated health, which is one of the domains of HRQOL 7 , strongly predicts mortality and major outcomes 8 – 10 .…”

“…Poor HRQOL is usually explained by mental and physical conditions in individuals suffering from chronic diseases or stressors as a whole 2 . Consequently, poor HRQOL is associated with an increased risk of mortality and other major outcomes 10 . However, the biological mechanisms by which poor HRQOL influences these outcomes have not been established 21 .…”

Heart rate variability and the short form-8 Japanese version for health-related quality of life in the general Japanese population

“…HRQOL scores are consisted of physical and mental components and decreased in individuals with low physical activity 3 , insomnia 4 , diabetes 5 , and hypertension 6 . Furthermore, poor self-rated health, which is one of the domains of HRQOL 7 , strongly predicted mortality and major outcomes [8][9][10] .…”

“…Poor HRQOL was usually explained by mental and physical conditions suffering from several chronic diseases or stressors as a whole 2 . Consequently, it increased the risk of mortality and other major outcomes 10 . Although this explanation is true, a biological chain by which HRQOL lowers is missing 18 .…”