SENSE OF PURPOSE IN LIFE AND ALLOSTATIC BURDEN IN TWO LONGITUDINAL COHORTS

Abstract

Abstract Sense of purpose in life has been linked with better physical health, longevity, and reduced risk for disability and dementia, but the mechanisms linking purposefulness with diverse health outcomes is unclear. Chronic activation and dysregulation of neural, immune, and other bodily systems, known as allostatic load, may contribute to these underlying mechanisms. Specifically, sense of purpose may promote better physiological regulation in response to stressors and health challenges, leading to lower allostatic burden and disease risk over time. Data from the nationally representative US Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and English Longitudinal Study on Ageing (ELSA) (Total N=5846; Mean Age=67.24, SD=10.68, 59.08% female) were used to examine associations between sense of purpose and repeated assessments of allostatic load across 8 and 12 years of follow-up. Allostatic load scores were constructed from 12 blood-based and anthropometric biomarkers of cardiovascular, metabolic, immune, and lung function, with higher scores representing higher allostatic burden. Population-weighted multilevel models revealed that sense of purpose in life was associated with lower overall levels of allostatic load in HRS (b = -0.22, 95% CI: -0.27,-0.17) and in ELSA (b = -0.19, 95% CI: -0.35,-0.03). Sense of purpose in life did not predict rate of change in allostatic load in either sample. Associations with sense of purpose were highest among cardiovascular and immune biomarkers, suggesting that preservation of these bodily systems may underlie associations between purposefulness and reduced risk for chronic health conditions. Discussion will focus on biological and behavioral pathways connecting sense of purpose in life and health.