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. 2022 Jan;36(1):137-147.
doi: 10.1177/08901171211038545. Epub 2021 Aug 18.

Sense of Purpose in Life and Subsequent Physical, Behavioral, and Psychosocial Health: An Outcome-Wide Approach

Eric S Kim  1   2   3 , Ying Chen  2   4 , Julia S Nakamura  1 , Carol D Ryff  5   6 , Tyler J VanderWeele  2   4   7
Affiliations

Sense of Purpose in Life and Subsequent Physical, Behavioral, and Psychosocial Health: An Outcome-Wide Approach

Eric S Kim et al. Am J Health Promot. 2022 Jan.

Abstract

Purpose: Growing evidence indicates that a higher sense of purpose in life (purpose) is associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases and mortality. However, epidemiological studies have not evaluated if change in purpose is associated with subsequent health and well-being outcomes.

Design: We evaluated if positive change in purpose (between t0; 2006/2008 and t1;2010/2012) was associated with better outcomes on 35 indicators of physical health, health behaviors, and psychosocial well-being (at t2;2014/2016).

Sample: We used data from 12,998 participants in the Health and Retirement study-a prospective and nationally representative cohort of U.S. adults aged >50.

Analysis: We conducted multiple linear-, logistic-, and generalized linear regressions.

Results: Over the 4-year follow-up period, people with the highest (versus lowest) purpose had better subsequent physical health outcomes (e.g., 46% reduced risk of mortality (95% CI [0.44, 0.66])), health behaviors (e.g., 13% reduced risk of sleep problems (95% CI [0.77, 0.99])), and psychosocial outcomes (e.g., higher optimism (β = 0.41, 95% CI [0.35, 0.47]), 43% reduced risk of depression (95% CI [0.46, 0.69]), lower loneliness (β = -0.35, 95% CI [-0.41, -0.29])). Importantly, however, purpose was not associated with other physical health outcomes, health behaviors, and social factors.

Conclusion: With further research, these results suggest that sense of purpose might be a valuable target for innovative policy and intervention work aimed at improving health and well-being.

Keywords: epidemiology; psychological well-being; purpose in life; sense of purpose; well-being.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The authors declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Eric S. Kim has worked as a consultant with AARP and UnitedHealth Group which may be affected by the research reported in the enclosed paper. Tyler VanderWeele has worked as a consultant with Aetna Inc.

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