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. 2009 Mar;21(2):398-425.
doi: 10.1177/0898264308329023. Epub 2008 Dec 22.

Increased mortality risk in older adults with persistently low or declining feelings of usefulness to others

Tara L Gruenewald  1 , Arun S Karlamangla, Gail A Greendale, Burton H Singer, Teresa E Seeman
Affiliations

Increased mortality risk in older adults with persistently low or declining feelings of usefulness to others

Tara L Gruenewald et al. J Aging Health. 2009 Mar.

Abstract

Objective: This study seeks to determine if persistently low or declining feelings of usefulness to others in later life predict increased mortality hazard in older adults.

Method: Data on change in perceptions of usefulness, health, behavioral and psychosocial covariates, and mortality originate from the MacArthur Study of Successful Aging, a prospective study of 1,189 older adults (aged 70 to 79).

Results: Older adults with persistently low feelings of usefulness or who experienced a decline to low feelings of usefulness during the first 3 years of the study experienced a greater hazard of mortality (sociodemographic adjusted hazard ratio = 1.75; 95% confidence interval = 1.22, 2.51) during a subsequent 9-year follow-up as compared to older adults with persistently high feelings of usefulness.

Discussion: Older adults with persistently low perceived usefulness or feelings of usefulness that decline to a low level may be a vulnerable group with increased risk for poor health outcomes in later life.

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