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Cognitively Intact and Happy Life Expectancy in the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Anthony R Bardo
  • Scott M Lynch
  • Shevaun Neupert

Abstract

ObjectivesWe examined the number of years to be lived with and without cognitive impairment and with high self-assessed quality of life (i.e., happiness) among a nationally representative sample of Americans aged 65 years and older. Two key questions are addressed: Can people have a high quality of life despite being cognitively impaired? Which is longer: happy life expectancy or cognitively intact life expectancy?MethodData from nine waves of the Health and Retirement Study (1998–2014) were used to estimate transition probabilities into and out of cognitively intact/impaired-un/happy states, as well as to death. Recently extended Bayesian multistate life table methods were used to estimate age-specific cognitively intact and happy life expectancy net of sex, race/ethnicity, education, and birth cohort.ResultsHappiness and cognitive impairment were shown to coexist in both the gross cross-tabulated data and in the life tables. Happy life expectancy is approximately 25% longer than cognitively intact life expectancy at age 65 years, and by age 85, happy life expectancy is roughly double cognitively intact life expectancy, on average.DiscussionLack of cognitive impairment is not a necessary condition for happiness. In other words, people can have a high quality of life despite being cognitively impaired.

Suggested Citation

  • Anthony R Bardo & Scott M Lynch & Shevaun Neupert, 2021. "Cognitively Intact and Happy Life Expectancy in the United States," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 76(2), pages 242-251.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:geronb:v:76:y:2021:i:2:p:242-251.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/geronb/gbz080
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    Cited by:

    1. Yunxiang Wan & Leiwen Jiang, 2024. "Socioeconomic Differences in Happy Life Expectancy among Older Adults in China," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 25(7), pages 1-19, October.
    2. Anthony R. Bardo & Jason L. Cummings, 2023. "Life, Longevity, and the Pursuit of Happiness: The Role of Disability in Shaping Racial and Sex Disparities in Living a Long and Happy Life," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(4), pages 1-26, August.

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