Now, a new study led by a Boston University School of Public Health (
Published in the journal
"Having a purpose in life has been known to improve many health outcomes on average," says study lead author
For the study, Dr
The results showed that people with the highest sense of purpose indicated the lowest risk of death (15.2 per cent mortality risk), compared to people with the lowest sense of purpose (36.5 per cent mortality risk).
The team also gathered data on additional factors that can influence health, such as socioeconomic status, other demographic characteristics, baseline physical health, and depression, and found that an increase in these factors was also associated with increases in a higher sense of purpose.
Dr Shiba speculates that the stronger observed purpose-mortality association in women may be attributable to the gender difference in the use of healthcare services, "one of the postulated pathways linking purpose and health," he says. "Evidence suggests men tend to underuse necessary healthcare services, due to social norms. However, a future study investigating the mechanisms underlying the gender difference is warranted."
These findings can help inform future policies and other efforts to improve health and well-being.
"This evidence on effect heterogeneity tells us whether population-level purpose interventions can promote people's health not only on average but also in an equitable manner," Dr Shiba says. "Although evidence suggests purpose interventions would not lead to widening racial disparities in mortality, policymakers should also be aware of other sources of heterogeneity, such as SES and gender. Even though people may view purpose as a 'psychological' factor, its impacts on health cannot be explained solely by processes that operate in our minds and biology. We need to consider how the psychological factor interacts with our social world and ultimately impacts our health."
SEE ALSO: