ISLAMABAD, Nov 22 (Online): A growing body of evidence suggests that living with purpose may help you live longer.<\/p>\n
Recently, researchers wondered whether this effect would apply equally across genders, ethnicities, and races.<\/p>\n
This was the focus of a new study led by Dr. Koichiro Shiba, assistant professor at Boston University\u2019s School of Public Health in Massachusetts.<\/p>\n
According to the results, having a purpose lowers the risk of all causes of mortality, regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity, but the effects were more pronounced among women.<\/p>\n
Living longer and healthier with purpose<\/p>\n
Previous research has found strong associations between having a sense of purpose in life and greater longevity.<\/p>\n
For the present study, the researchers analyzed a diverse, large, and nationwide sample of older adults in the United States, looking for associations between a sense of purpose and mortality across gender, race, and ethnicity.<\/p>\n
The data came from 13,159 adults over the age of 50 who had participated in the longitudinal Health and Retirement Study sponsored by the National Institute on Aging and the Social Security Administration. After an 8-year follow-up period, 3,253 of the participants, 24.7%, had died.<\/p>\n
The analysis revealed that those with the strongest sense of purpose lowered their risk of death by 15.2% compared to people with the least sense of purpose. The results showed no significant differences in this association regardless of the participants\u2019 race or ethnicity.<\/p>\n
The findings also showed that purpose was more strongly associated with longevity in women than men, although it provided a significant benefit for both.<\/p>\n
The researchers found that women lowered their risk of all-cause mortality by 34%, compared to men, whose risk was reduced by 20%.<\/p>\n
Defining purposeful living
\nDr. Stephanie Hooker, a research investigator at Health Partners Institute in Bloomington, MN, not involved in the study, explained to Medical News Today:<\/p>\n
\u201cA sense of purpose in life is the extent to which someone feels that their life has direction and has ultimate goals. A strong sense of purpose in life will look different across different people. Some people may want to contribute to their community, for others, it would be to be successful in their career, and for others, it may be to take care of their families.\u201d<\/p>\n
But for the purposes of the new study, a more technical definition of purpose was required.<\/p>\n
According to Dr. Shiba, the researchers used a submodule of Ryff\u2019s Psychological Wellbeing Scale to measure purpose in their study.<\/p>\n
\u201cSpecifically, this submodule consists of 7 items such as, \u2018I have a sense of direction and purpose in life,\u2019 \u2018My daily activities often seem trivial and unimportant to me,\u2019 [and] \u2018I don\u2019t have a good sense of what it is I\u2019m trying to accomplish in life,\u2019\u201d Dr. Shiba told MNT.<\/p>\n
How purpose may lead to better health<\/p>\n
It\u2019s well-documented that stress can negatively affect a range of body systems, which means being able to manage stress is a key skill in maintaining overall health.<\/p>\n
Dr. Patrick L. Hill, a researcher specializing in healthy aging and an associate professor of psychological and brain sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, not involved in the study, told MNT:<\/p>\n
\u201cOur [own] work has shown that individuals higher on sense of purpose report less reactivity to their daily stressors and seem less likely to be stressful or anxious in the face of ambiguous events in their lives. Presumably, these effects occur because individuals are able to focus on the big picture rather than get distressed by everyday issues.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Hooker added that prior research has shown that people with greater purpose also engage in more health-promoting behaviors.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor example, they engage in physical activity, are less likely to smoke, and use more preventive care services (e.g., seeing a doctor for annual screening),\u201d Dr. Hill explained.<\/p>\n
Still, it is not yet known whether these traits can help a person live longer, but it is likely some combination of them.<\/p>\n
Considering the stronger benefits among females who live with purpose, Dr. Shiba noted:<\/p>\n
\u201cOur speculation is that the result might be attributable to gender difference in the use of healthcare services, which is one of the postulated pathways linking purpose and health.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another theory could be that other research shows that males are more reluctant to consult doctors and other healthcare professionals regarding their health issues compared to females.<\/p>\n
Encouraging a sense of purpose<\/p>\n
Dr. Hill explained that his prior research has shown that caregivers may view their loved ones or aging family members as less purposeful and directed, which may shape how they care for and interact with them.<\/p>\n
\u201cA primary point from our research is that caregivers should avoid underestimating how purposeful their [loved ones] are,\u201d Dr. Hill said.<\/p>\n
Dr. Hill recommended that caregivers ask their loved ones about their life direction and encourage them to consider how they might maintain a sense of purpose, particularly in the face of potential health concerns.<\/p>\n
\u201cCaregivers can help [their loved ones] find something to live for,\u201d Dr. Hooker said. \u201cThat may be contributing to the family, household, or community in a meaningful way.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, it doesn\u2019t need to be a big task. For example, as described in Atul Gawande\u2019s book \u2018Being Mortal,\u2019 nursing home patients lived longer if they were given a plant to care for,\u201d Dr. Hooker added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD, Nov 22 (Online): A growing body of evidence suggests that living with purpose may help you live longer. Recently, researchers wondered whether this effect would apply equally across genders, ethnicities, and races. This was the focus of a new study led by Dr. Koichiro […]<\/p>\n
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