A healthy outlook

Abstract

The sense of coherence-a healthy outlook-can be thought of as a measure of positive health, that is, a factor promoting resilience which enables an individual to remain healthy. Based on National Population Health Survey (NPHS) data, three health measures were analyzed in relation to sense of coherence. The sense of coherence accounted for a substantial proportion of the total variance for two of the three measures. Theoretically, people with a healthy outlook are more able to cope successfully with trauma and stress. According to NPHS data, on average, those who reported at least one traumatic event had a lower sense of coherence than those who did not. For people who experienced trauma during childhood and young adulthood, yet had a strong sense of coherence, the impact of that trauma on their health was diminished.