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Survival Advantage Mechanism: Inflammation as a Mediator of Positive Self-Perceptions of Aging on Longevity

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  • Becca R Levy
  • Avni Bavishi

Abstract

Objective: Previous studies have found that positive self-perceptions of aging (SPA) are associated with longer survival; however, a biological mechanism was unknown. We examined whether C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of cumulative stress-related inflammation, mediates the relationship between SPA and survival.Method: The SPA of participants aged 50 and older in the Health and Retirement Study (N = 4,149) were assessed at baseline. Inflammation was measured by the level of CRP 4 years later. Survival was followed for up to 6 years.Results: As hypothesized, CRP mediated the impact of SPA on survival. Following the steps of a mediation analysis, positive SPA at baseline predicted lower CRP after 4 years (β = −.29, p = .03) and longer survival in the 2 years following the CRP measurement (β = .20, p =.003); additionally, lower CRP predicted longer survival, after adjusting for positive SPA (β = −.02, p = .0001). All models adjusted for baseline age, CRP, health, sex, race, and education.Discussion: It was found that lower CRP partially mediates the relationship between positive SPA and longer survival. Hence, this study presents a novel pathway to explain the process by which positive SPA extend longevity.

Suggested Citation

  • Becca R Levy & Avni Bavishi, 2018. "Survival Advantage Mechanism: Inflammation as a Mediator of Positive Self-Perceptions of Aging on Longevity," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 73(3), pages 409-412.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:geronb:v:73:y:2018:i:3:p:409-412.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/geronb/gbw035
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    Cited by:

    1. Chien-Yao Sun & Chun-Yin Yeh & Yan Zhao & Ching-Ju Chiu, 2020. "Can Individual Attitudes toward Aging Predict Subsequent Physical Disabilities in Older Taiwanese Individuals? A Four-Year Retrospective Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Yael Benyamini & Edith Burns, 2020. "Views on aging: older adults’ self-perceptions of age and of health," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 477-487, December.
    3. Levy, Becca R. & Chung, Pil H. & Slade, Martin D. & Van Ness, Peter H. & Pietrzak, Robert H., 2019. "Active coping shields against negative aging self-stereotypes contributing to psychiatric conditions," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 228(C), pages 25-29.

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