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"An American study found that" optimists are more likely to live longer than those who have a more negative approach to life, "BBC News reported, and Mail Online reports in the same study that" Optimists have up to 39% to 70% more likely to live up to 85 years ".
The study used information collected from veterans and nurses participating in two long-term studies in the United States. Participants were about 60 to 70 years old when they completed the questionnaires of optimism, and the researchers sought to find out if optimism was related to living longer.
Those with the most optimistic scores had a life expectancy about 9% longer than those with the lowest scores. But despite media reports, the most optimistic were actually no more likely to live to age 85. The figure of 70% came from a result that did not take into account all influencing factors.
In the end, this research can not prove the cause and the effect. Optimism and lifespan can be influenced by many hereditary, health, lifestyle and personal factors. People with a good general level of health and well-being are probably more likely to be optimistic about their future. Although researchers have attempted to adjust their analysis to such factors, it is difficult to totally eliminate their influence.
One can also wonder to what extent the results of these optimistic assessments, carried out 15 to 30 years ago by very specific groups of older American nurses and veterans, were found to be ineffective. apply to the British population in general.
Nevertheless, the research highlights the importance that mental health and well-being can have for physical health.
Where does the story come from?
The study was conducted by researchers from the Boston Health Center, the Boston University School of Medicine, the Harvard Medical School and other Boston institutions, at the University of Boston. United States, at the National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
It was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Clinical Science Research and Development Service, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the Quebec Health Research Fund. It has been published in the peer-reviewed journal PNAS.
British media coverage was generally positive in its tone, taking the conclusions for cash without considering the many limitations of this research. Many media sources have particularly emphasized the statement that optimists are 70% more likely to live up to age 85, which is inaccurate.
It may be argued that the authors of the study are partly responsible for this because they have placed in the abstract the result that is the subject of headlines, which has not been adjusted to take into account all confusion.
What kind of research was this?
The researchers used data collected from two long-term US cohort studies. They examined women participating in the study of the health of nurses and men participating in the normative study on veterans' aging to determine whether evaluations of optimism were related to lifespan.
Prospective cohorts can examine the links between a risk factor or exposure and subsequent health outcomes.
However, the data can not prove a direct effect cause between the two, especially if it is considered that the two cohorts were not created to examine this question. Many factors can affect both optimism and lifespan.
What does the research involve?
The Nurses' Health Study recruited nurses in 1976 and followed them every two years with health and lifestyle questionnaires. Participants completed an assessment of optimism in 2004 (while they were on average 70 years old) and their survival was followed until 2014.
As part of the Normative Aging study of Veterans Affairs, male veterans were recruited in 1961; they completed the assessment of optimism in 1986 (mean age 62) and their survival was followed until 2016.
The researchers say that optimism can be defined either as a provision (where people generally tend to be optimistic) or as attributions (where people are optimistic because things are generally well spent for them in the past).
The Nurses Study assessed dispositional optimism, stating that it "refers to the relatively stable general expectation that positive outcomes would occur in all areas of life". This was evaluated with the help of the revised life orientation test, which asks participants to rate their agreement with 10 statements such as "I usually expect the best" or "". it's easy for me to relax, "giving a total score of 0 to 24.
The study of veterans evaluated the optimism on the basis of attributions, supposedly "inferred from the explanations provided in previous events". This was evaluated using the revised scale of optimism-pessimism, which evaluates over 200 items rating people on a scale ranging from optimism to pessimism.
The researchers evaluated the link between the optimism score and survival. They looked at life time in general and "exceptional longevity", more than 85 years.
They excluded those who died during the first two years following an optimistic assessment to try to rule out the possibility of a health deterioration influencing their optimism (reverse causality). This left a total of 69,744 women and 1,429 men.
The researchers took into account these potential factors that may have influenced the outcomes: ethnicity, marital status, own and spouse education level, depression, long-term conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, and lifestyle factors. such as diet and smoking.
What were the basic results?
In the 10 years following the assessment of nurses' optimism, 13% of the cohort died. In the 30 years that followed the assessment of the optimism of veterans, 71% died. The researchers found that people with high optimistic scores generally tended to have a higher education level, were less likely to have long-term health problems, less likely to drink alcohol and more likely to exercise.
After adjusting for all confounders, the highest versus least optimistic quartile was associated with a longer life of 8.7% (95% confidence interval). [CI] 5.8% to 11.6%) among nurses and a longer life span of 9.8% (95% CI 0.3% to 20.3%) among veterans.
Researchers report an increased chance of surviving beyond age 85 with the highest level of optimism: 50% more chances for nurses (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2 to 1.7 However, these results came from a model in which researchers did not take into account behaviors related to the health. Once the researchers had adjusted factors such as smoking and diet, these results were no longer statistically significant.
How did the researchers interpret the results?
The researchers concluded, "Given that work indicating that optimism is modifiable, these findings suggest that optimism may be a valuable target for testing strategies to promote longevity."
Conclusion
Many previous studies have examined the question of whether optimism is related to improving health and longevity. And the consensus is that there is a positive association. This latest study supports this consensus, but does not really constitute strong and conclusive evidence to end any future debate.
The study can not prove the direct cause and the effect. Many hereditary factors related to health, lifestyle, and personal circumstances can affect both a person's life span and their vision of life. The analyzes have attempted to adjust to many of them, but it is difficult to take fully into account all the determinants.
Optimism is in many ways an abstract concept. The assessment was conducted using two well-known questionnaires, but it is unclear to what extent they can fully grasp all the nuances of nature and the feeling of well-being of one's own. nobody.
The study focused on very specific groups of US citizens: mostly Caucasian, nurses and veterans. It can not be assumed that these participants represent everyone.
The relevance of these assessments to people today is also uncertain. For example, how optimistic are American veterans in the 1980s and how they relate to their life span to today's young adults?
Despite researchers' suggestion that "optimism is changeable", it is not always easy to change perspective. Optimism can be influenced both by your inherent nature and by the circumstances of your life.
That said, you can try to help you cope better with the ups and downs of life.
If you experience feelings of depressed mood, it is also important to contact a health professional or talk to someone who can help you get help.
Analysis by Bazian
Published by the NHS website
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