Abstract
BackgroundTo identify factors which determine high life satisfaction (LS) and to analyse the prognostic influence of LS on mortality.MethodsData collection was conducted on 2,675 participants, age 25-74 years, as part of the MONICA Augsburg Project 1994-95. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine factors associated with high LS (measured with one item, 6-level Likert scale, where "high" = very satisfied/most of the time very satisfied with ones personal life). After 12 years mean follow-up, a total of 245 deaths occurred. We calculated age- and sex-adjusted incident mortality rates per 10,000. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated from Cox proportional hazards models.ResultsIndependent determinants of LS were income, health-perception, and social support, as well as somatisation, anger or depressive symptoms (all p < 0.05). Participants with higher LS (n = 721, 27%) benefited the most with respect to absolute mortality risk reduction (higher LS = 67; mid = 98; low = 140 per 10,000). The sex-stratified analyses indicated an independent association of higher LS and survival for men (HR 0.55; 95% CI 0.37 - 0.81) but not for women.ConclusionsBaseline assessment demonstrated that psychological, social and life-style factors, but not somatic co-morbidities, were relevant determinants of LS. Moreover, the analysis showed that men with higher LS have a substantial long-term survival benefit. The observed association between LS and mortality may be attributed to common underlying causes such as social network integration and/or self-rated health.
Highlights
To identify factors which determine high life satisfaction (LS) and to analyse the prognostic influence of LS on mortality
There has been little research linking well-being with physical health, limited evidence points to the association of well-being with greater health and longevity [4,5,6]
There have been studies examining the connections between overall wellbeing and health, we focus on life satisfaction because it reflects subjective perceptions of success and happiness [8] and may be more stable than measures of positive affect [9]
Summary
To identify factors which determine high life satisfaction (LS) and to analyse the prognostic influence of LS on mortality. Much research has been done on the prospective associations between negative affective states, physical health, and total mortality [1,2,3]. It is generally accepted that there are three independent facets of positive well-being: positive affect, negative affect and life satisfaction (LS) [7]. LS measures vary in their composition, but generally, they identify trait levels of positive affect as well as cognitive assessments of the extent to which a person’s life matches his LS has been shown to be associated with lower morbidity and mortality among older community-dwelling individuals [5]. While there is an increased interest in the study of LS and the health consequences of positive functioning, to our knowledge, no study to date has examined sex-specific aspects of LS in a populationbased sample with a broad age span (25-74 years of age) and a long follow-up
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