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Updated: Jul 25, 2025
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Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
Published on: May 31, 2021
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Self-Rated Health and Mortality: Moderation by Purpose in Life
Elliot M Friedman1, Elizabeth Teas1
1Department of Human Development and Family Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
Summary
Having a strong purpose in life may help you live longer, even if you feel your health is poor. This purpose can buffer the mortality risk associated with self-rated poor health.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Poor self-rated health is a consistent predictor of reduced longevity.
- Purpose in life is also linked to better health outcomes and increased longevity.
- Prior research indicates purpose in life moderates the link between chronic conditions and biological factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the moderating role of purpose in life on the relationship between subjective health and mortality.
- To explore potential racial/ethnic differences in these associations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from two large national longitudinal studies: the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and Midlife in the United States (MIDUS).
- Employed logistic regression analyses with a 12- to 14-year mortality follow-up period.
- Conducted stratified analyses to examine racial/ethnic variations.
Main Results:
- Both purpose in life and self-rated health were significantly associated with longevity.
- Purpose in life significantly moderated the association between self-rated health and mortality.
- Similar patterns were observed across racial/ethnic groups, except for Black participants in the MIDUS study.
Conclusions:
- Greater purpose in life may offer a protective effect, mitigating the increased mortality risk linked to poor subjective health.
- Purpose in life plays a significant role in the longevity associated with subjective health perceptions.
- Findings highlight the importance of purpose in life for health and longevity across diverse populations.
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