Arts and culture engagement and mortality: A population-based prospective cohort study

The aim of this study was to investigate associations between having visited the theatre/cinema and an arts exhibition during the past year and all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer and other-cause mortality.

The 2008 public health postal survey in Scania, Sweden, was distributed to a stratified random sample of the adult population (18-80 years old). The participation rate was 54.1%, and 25,420 participants were included in the present study. The baseline 2008 survey data were linked to cause-of-death register data to create a prospective cohort with 8.3-year follow-up. Associations between visit to the theatre/cinema, visit to an arts exhibition and mortality were investigated in survival (Cox) regression models.

Just over a quarter (26.5%) had visited both the theatre/cinema and an arts exhibition during the past year, 36.6% only the theatre/cinema, 4.9% only an arts exhibition and 32% neither of the two. Not visiting the theatre/cinema during the past year was associated with higher all-cause and CVD mortality. Not visiting an arts exhibition was associated with higher all-cause and other-cause mortality. The combination of having visited neither the theatre/cinema nor an arts exhibition during the past year was associated with higher all-cause, CVD and other-cause mortality.

There is an association between attending arts and culture activities and a reduced risk of CVD and other-cause mortality but not cancer mortality, although model imperfections are possible.