High optimism linked with longer life and living past 90 in women across racial, ethnic groups

A study led by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that women with higher levels of optimism were more likely to live past 90.

Hayami Koga is a PhD candidate in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Harvard Chan School and is the lead author of the study. Deficits or risk factors that increase the risks for diseases have been the focus of previous work. There is value in focusing on positive psychological factors, like optimism, as possible new ways of promoting longevity and healthy aging among diverse groups.

The study will be published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

The research group found that optimism was linked to a longer lifespan and exceptional longevity. The current study was expanded to include women from all racial and ethnic groups because they looked at mostly white populations in the previous study. It is important for public health that diverse populations are included in research because they have higher mortality rates than white populations.

The women were followed for up to 26 years after they were 50 years old.

The 25% who were the most optimistic were more likely to live longer than the 25% who were the least optimistic. After taking into account demographic, chronic conditions, and depression, the researchers found no correlation between optimism and any race or ethnicity. It was found that lifestyle factors, such as regular exercise and healthy eating, accounted for less than a quarter of the optimism-life span association.

The study could change how people view the decisions that affect their health.

Negative risk factors that affect our health are what we tend to focus on. Positive resources such as optimism that may be beneficial to our health, especially if we see that these benefits are seen across racial and ethnic groups, is something that is important to consider.

The research was supported by the National Institute of Health. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health is one of the funders of the Women's Health Initiative.

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1. Hayami K. Koga, Claudia Trudel‐Fitzgerald, Lewina O. Lee, Peter James, Candyce Kroenke, Lorena Garcia, Aladdin H. Shadyab, Elena Salmoirago‐Blotcher, JoAnn E. Manson, Francine Grodstein, Laura D. Kubzansky. Optimism, lifestyle, and longevity in a racially diverse cohort of women. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2022; DOI: 10.1111/jgs.17897