IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jhappi/v23y2022i6d10.1007_s10902-022-00511-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Optimism and Longevity Among Japanese Older Adults

Author

Listed:
  • Sakurako S. Okuzono

    (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
    Tokyo Medical and Dental University)

  • Koichiro Shiba

    (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
    Harvard Institute for Quantitative Social Science)

  • Harold H. Lee

    (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
    Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health)

  • Kokoro Shirai

    (Osaka University)

  • Hayami K. Koga

    (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health)

  • Naoki Kondo

    (Kyoto University School of Public Health)

  • Takeo Fujiwara

    (Tokyo Medical and Dental University)

  • Katsunori Kondo

    (Center for Gerontology and Social Science, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology
    Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University)

  • Fran Grodstein

    (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
    Rush Medical College)

  • Laura D. Kubzansky

    (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
    Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health)

  • Claudia Trudel-Fitzgerald

    (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
    Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health)

Abstract

Optimism has been linked to better physical health across various outcomes, including greater longevity. However, most evidence is from Western populations, leaving it unclear whether these relationships may generalize to other cultural backgrounds. Using secondary data analysis, we evaluated the associations of optimism among older Japanese adults. Data were from a nationwide cohort study of Japanese older adults aged ≥ 65 years (Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study; n = 10,472). In 2010, optimism and relevant covariates (i.e., sociodemographic factors, physical health conditions, depressive symptoms, and health behaviors) were self-reported. Optimism was measured using the Japanese version of the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R). Lifespan was determined using mortality information from the public long-term care insurance database through 2017 (7-year follow-up). Accelerated failure time models examined optimism (quintiles or standardized continuous scores) in relation to percent differences in lifespan. Potential effect modification by gender, income, and education was also investigated. Overall, 733 individuals (7%) died during the follow-up period. Neither continuous nor categorical levels of optimism were associated with lifespan after progressive adjustment for covariates (e.g., in fully-adjusted models: percent differences in lifespan per 1-SD increase in continuous optimism scores = − 1.2%, 95%CI − 3.4, 1.1 higher versus lower optimism quintiles = − 4.1%, 95%CI − 11.2, 3.6). The association between optimism and lifespan was null across all sociodemographic strata as well. Contrary to the existing evidence from Western populations, optimism was unrelated to longevity among Japanese older adults. The association between optimism, as evaluated by the LOT-R, and longevity may differ across cultural contexts.

Suggested Citation

  • Sakurako S. Okuzono & Koichiro Shiba & Harold H. Lee & Kokoro Shirai & Hayami K. Koga & Naoki Kondo & Takeo Fujiwara & Katsunori Kondo & Fran Grodstein & Laura D. Kubzansky & Claudia Trudel-Fitzgerald, 2022. "Optimism and Longevity Among Japanese Older Adults," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(6), pages 2581-2595, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:23:y:2022:i:6:d:10.1007_s10902-022-00511-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-022-00511-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10902-022-00511-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10902-022-00511-8?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Julia K Boehm & Ying Chen & David R Williams & Carol Ryff & Laura D Kubzansky, 2015. "Unequally Distributed Psychological Assets: Are There Social Disparities in Optimism, Life Satisfaction, and Positive Affect?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(2), pages 1-16, February.
    2. Carol Graham & Sergio Pinto, 2019. "Unequal hopes and lives in the USA: optimism, race, place, and premature mortality," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 32(2), pages 665-733, April.
    3. Douglas Medin & Bethany Ojalehto & Ananda Marin & Megan Bang, 2017. "Systems of (non-)diversity," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 1(5), pages 1-5, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jieun Song & Sohyun Kang & Carol D. Ryff, 2023. "Unpacking Psychological Vulnerabilities in Deaths of Despair," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(15), pages 1-13, July.
    2. Jan-Emmanuel De Neve & Daisy Fancourt & Christian Krekel & Sarah Swanke, 2020. "Are happier people more compliant? Global evidence from three large-scale surveys during Covid-19 lockdowns," CEP Occasional Papers 54, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    3. Krekel, Christian & De Neve, Jan-Emmanuel & Fancourt, Daisy & Layard, Richard, 2021. "A local community course that raises wellbeing and pro-sociality: Evidence from a randomised controlled trial," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 322-336.
    4. Shannon M. Monnat, 2022. "Demographic and Geographic Variation in Fatal Drug Overdoses in the United States, 1999–2020," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 703(1), pages 50-78, September.
    5. Sarracino, Francesco & Greyling, Talita & O'Connor , Kelsey & Peroni, Chiara & Rossouw, Stephanie, 2021. "A year of pandemic: levels, changes and validity of well-being data from Twitter. Evidence from ten countries," GLO Discussion Paper Series 831, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    6. Anand, Paul & Blanchflower, Danny & Bovens, Luc & De Neve, Jan-Emmanuel & Graham, Carol & Nolan, Brian & Krekel, Christian & Thoma, Johanna, 2020. "Post-Covid 19 economic development and policy: submitted as recommendations to the Scottish economic recovery group," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 105023, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    7. Mukti Clarence & Viju P. D. & Lalatendu Kesari Jena & Tony Sam George, 2021. "Predictors of Positive Psychological Capital: An Attempt Among the Teacher Communities in Rural Jharkhand, India," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 46(2), pages 139-160, May.
    8. Bednarik, Zuzana, 2023. "The impact of health disparities on the subjective well-being in rural communities," NCR-Stat Discussion Papers 339129, North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (NCRCRD).
    9. O'Connor, Kelsey J. & Graham, Carol, 2019. "Longer, more optimistic, lives: Historic optimism and life expectancy in the United States," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 374-392.
    10. David N. F. Bell & David G. Blanchflower, 2021. "The U‐shape of happiness in Scotland," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 68(4), pages 407-433, September.
    11. Stefano Bartolini & Marcin Piekalkiewicz & Francesco Sarracino, 2019. "A Social Cure for Social Comparisons," Department of Economics University of Siena 797, Department of Economics, University of Siena.
    12. Carol Graham & Julia R. Pozuelo, 2023. "Do high aspirations lead to better outcomes? Evidence from a longitudinal survey of adolescents in Peru," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 36(3), pages 1099-1137, July.
    13. Lou Safra & Nicolas Baumard & Valentin Wyart & Coralie Chevallier, 2020. "Social motivation is associated with increased weight granted to cooperation-related impressions in face evaluation tasks," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(4), pages 1-17, April.
    14. Jens Klein & Olaf von dem Knesebeck & Daniel Lüdecke, 2020. "Social Inequalities and Loneliness as Predictors of Ageing Well: A Trend Analysis Using Mixed Models," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-14, July.
    15. Carol Graham & Barton H. Hamilton & Yung Chun & Stephen Roll & Will Ross & Karen E. Joynt-Maddox & Michal Grinstein-Weiss, 2020. "Coping with COVID-19: Implications of Differences in Resilience across Racial Groups for Mental Health and Well-being," Working Papers 2020-067, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    16. David G Blanchflower & Alex Bryson, 2022. "Further decoding the mystery of American pain: The importance of work," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(1), pages 1-16, January.
    17. Fjolla Kondirolli & Naveen Sunder, 2022. "Mental health effects of education," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(S2), pages 22-39, October.
    18. Li, Yanan & Sunder, Naveen, 2021. "What doesn’t kill her, will make her depressed," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    19. Sergio Pinto & Carol Graham, 2019. "Men without work: Why are they so unhappy in the US compared to other places?," Working Papers 2019-016, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    20. Carol Graham, 2005. "The Economics of Happiness," World Economics, World Economics, 1 Ivory Square, Plantation Wharf, London, United Kingdom, SW11 3UE, vol. 6(3), pages 41-55, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:23:y:2022:i:6:d:10.1007_s10902-022-00511-8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.