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

• Published in: American journal of health promotion Vol. 36; no. 1; pp. 137 - 147
• Main Authors: Kim, Eric S., Chen, Ying, Nakamura, Julia S., Ryff, Carol D., VanderWeele, Tyler J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.01.2022; American Journal of Health Promotion
• Subjects: Aged; Change agents; Chronic Disease; Chronic illnesses; Cohort Studies; Health Behavior; Health promotion; Health status; Humans; Loneliness; Mortality; Optimism; Prospective Studies; Psychosocial factors; Psychosocial well being; Purpose in life; Quantitative Research; Retirement; Sense of purpose; Sleep disorders; Social factors; epidemiology; well-being; psychological well-being; sense of purpose; purpose in life
• ISSN: 0890-1171; 2168-6602
• DOI: 10.1177/08901171211038545

Purpose: 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. Design: 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). Sample: 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. Analysis: We conducted multiple linear-, logistic-, and generalized linear regressions. Results: 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. Conclusion: 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.