The DOI matches its Crossref record; 48 of the 50 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Purpose in Life Is Associated With a Reduced Risk of Incident Disability Among Community-Dwelling Older Persons
Open accessAbstract
Background Purpose in life is thought to be associated with positive health outcomes in old age, but its association with disability is unknown.Objective Test the hypothesis that greater purpose in life is associated with a reduced risk of incident disability, including impairment in basic and instrumental activities of daily living and mobility disability, among community-based older persons free of dementia.Design Participants were from the Rush Memory and Aging Project, a large longitudinal clinical-pathologic study of aging.Setting Retirement communities, senior housing facilities, and homes across the greater Chicago metropolitan area.Measurements All participants underwent baseline assessment of purpose in life and detailed annual clinical evaluations to document incident disability.Results The mean score on the purpose in life measure at baseline was 3.6 (standard deviation = 0.5, range: 2-5). In a series of proportional hazards models adjusted for age, sex, and education, greater purpose in life was associated with a reduced risk of disability in basic activities of daily living (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.60, 95% confidence interval [C1] = 0.45-0.81), instrumental activities of daily living (HR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.40-0.78), and mobility disability (HR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.44-0.84). These associations did not vary along demographic lines and persisted after the addition of terms to control for global cognition, depressive symptoms, social networks, neuroticism, income, physical frailty, vascular risk factors, and vascular diseases.Conclusions Among community-based older persons without dementia, greater purpose in life is associated with maintenance of functional status, including a reduced risk of developing impairment in basic and instrumental activities of daily living and mobility disability.
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In the citing paper
“Numerous prospective studies from 2 to 8 years would strongly suggest that high PIL results in better health and less disability.”
From Purpose in Life and Positive Health Outcomes Among Older Adults (2018) · cites this paper as [7]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredIn the citing paper
“Having a strong sense of purpose and meaning in life may be a protective factor in relation to health”
From Leading a meaningful life at older ages and its relationship with social engagement, prosperity, health, biology, and time use (2019) · cites this paper as [5]
In the citing paper
“with longitudinal studies documenting associations with reduced premature mortality, slower development of age-related disability, reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease, healthier lifestyles, and more preventive behaviors”
From Leading a meaningful life at older ages and its relationship with social engagement, prosperity, health, biology, and time use (2019) · cites this paper as [5]
In the citing paper
“In numerous prospective research studies, higher PIL has been associated with better self-rated health,22 fewer chronic diseases (eg, stroke,8,19 myocardial infarctions9), reduced pain,11 less disability,7,10,11 less dementia and Alzheimer's disease,23 and reduced mortality.6,10,11”
From Purpose in Life and Positive Health Outcomes Among Older Adults (2018) · cites this paper as [7]
In the citing paper
“As in other studies, there were minimal demographic differences with the exception of those 80 years of age and older having lower PIL.”
From Purpose in Life and Positive Health Outcomes Among Older Adults (2018) · cites this paper as [7]
In the citing paper
“However, the average PIL score of 3.9 in this study was generally in the same range as other studies with 5 responses.”
From Purpose in Life and Positive Health Outcomes Among Older Adults (2018) · cites this paper as [7]
In the citing paper
“The strong correlations between PIL, resilience, and social support have been documented in other studies as well.”
From Purpose in Life and Positive Health Outcomes Among Older Adults (2018) · cites this paper as [7]
In the citing paper
“Interventions focused exclusively on PIL have yet to be developed, although several researchers have recommended a focus on goal-driven, meaningful activities defined as hobbies, volunteerism, religious involvement, or physical activities.”
From Purpose in Life and Positive Health Outcomes Among Older Adults (2018) · cites this paper as [7]
In the citing paper
“Interventions focused exclusively on PIL have yet to be developed, although several researchers have recommended a focus on goal-driven, meaningful activities defined as hobbies, volunteerism, religious involvement, or physical activities.”
From Purpose in Life and Positive Health Outcomes Among Older Adults (2018) · cites this paper as [7]
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Citations
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“Purpose in life was assessed using a 10-item scale[8,9]derived from Ryff’s scales of Psychological Well-Being[6,7] in which participants rated their level of agreement with each item (e.g., I have a sense of direction and purpose in life, I am an active person in carrying out the goals I set for myself) on a five poin…”
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BackgroundPositive health: connecting well–being with biology
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“The association of purpose in life with disability was examined via a series of proportional hazards models for discrete (tied) data[25]; that is, because examinations are scheduled in an annual cycle, differences of a few months in the date of the first evaluation with disability correspond to the sequence in which p…”
BackgroundMethodSelf-citationPsychological well-being and ill-Being: do they have distinct or mirrored biological correlates?
Ryff, C. D., Dienberg Love, G., Urry, H. L., Muller, D., Rosenkranz, M. A., Friedman, E. M., Davidson, R. J., & Singer, B. (2006) · Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics · doi:10.1159/000090892 · Cited by 672
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Self-citationPurpose in life is associated with mortality among community-dwelling older persons
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Positive affect, psychological well-being, and good sleep
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Frailty is associated with incident Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline in the elderly
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“, grip strength, timed walk, body composition, fatigue, and physical activity) was used in the present study, as previously described[42].”
MethodResultSelf-citationThe Rush Memory and Aging Project: Study Design and Baseline Characteristics of the Study Cohort
Bennett, D. A., Schneider, J. A., Buchman, A. S., de Leon, C. F. M., Bienias, J. L., & Wilson, R. S. (2005) · Neuroepidemiology · doi:10.1159/000087446 · Cited by 413 · cited 11×
“Participants included older persons without dementia from the Rush Memory and Aging Project, an ongoing longitudinal clinical-pathologic study of common chronic conditions of old age[15].”
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Ormel, J., & Wohlfarth, T. (1991) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.60.5.744 · Cited by 345 · cited 1×
“, depressive symptoms), neuroticism, social networks, income, physical frailty, vascular risk factors, and vascular diseases may influence the associationof purpose in life with disability[27–29], we repeated the core model described above with terms to control for these covariates in separate models.”
BackgroundBoyle, P. A., Wilson, R. S., Aggarwal, N. T., Tang, Y., & Bennett, D. A. (2006) · Neurology · doi:10.1212/01.wnl.0000228244.10416.20 · Cited by 317
Self-citationWell-being therapy: Conceptual and technical issues
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“Although we are not aware of interventions focused on improving purpose in life among older adults in particular, an emerging therapeutic intervention referred to as Well-Being therapy includes a focus on purpose in life and may offer some insights[45].”
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“In focus groups, older adults themselves describe purpose in life as a key component of successful aging [44]; this in conjunction with these and recent findings suggests that purpose may be an important psychological factor to consider when trying to identify older persons at risk for adverse health outcomes.”
ResultKrause, N. (2004) · The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences · doi:10.1093/geronb/59.5.s287 · Cited by 266
Disability as a Function of Social Networks and Support in Elderly African Americans and Whites
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“Purpose in life is associated with some important disease biomarkers[36–39], including salivary cortisol, the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6r, HDL cholesterol, and waist-hip ratios.”
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Physical Activity Is Associated with Incident Disability in Community‐Based Older Persons
Boyle, P. A., Buchman, A. S., Wilson, R. S., Bienias, J. L., & Bennett, D. A. (2007) · Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2007.01038.x · Cited by 183 · cited 3×
“Although we are not aware of any prior study that examined the association of purpose in life with the subsequent risk of developing disability, emerging data suggest that related psychological factors are associated with the development of disability in old age[31–35].”
BackgroundMethodSelf-citationCorrelates of Life Space in a Volunteer Cohort of Older Adults
Barnes, L. L., Wilson, R. S., Bienias, J. L., de Leon, C. F. M., Kim, H.-J. N., Buchman, A. S., & Bennett, D. A. (2006) · Experimental Aging Research · doi:10.1080/03610730601006420 · Cited by 154 · cited 6×
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“Purpose in life is associated with some important disease biomarkers[36–39], including salivary cortisol, the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6r, HDL cholesterol, and waist-hip ratios.”
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“Although we are not aware of any prior study that examined the association of purpose in life with the subsequent risk of developing disability, emerging data suggest that related psychological factors are associated with the development of disability in old age[31–35].”
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“Purpose in life is associated with some important disease biomarkers[36–39], including salivary cortisol, the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6r, HDL cholesterol, and waist-hip ratios.”
BackgroundPersonality and incident disability in older persons
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MethodSelf-citationModeled Cost-Effectiveness of the Experience Corps Baltimore Based on a Pilot Randomized Trial
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“Although we are aware of limited data on the extent to which purpose is related to health promoting behaviors, one study reported that a greater sense of purpose in life was associated with better breast health behavior in women[43].”
BackgroundHarm Avoidance and Disability in Old Age
Wilson, R. S., Buchman, A. S., Arnold, S. E., Shah, R. C., Tang, Y., & Bennett, D. A. (2006) · Experimental Aging Research · doi:10.1080/03610730600699142 · Cited by 21 · cited 2×
“Although we are not aware of any prior study that examined the association of purpose in life with the subsequent risk of developing disability, emerging data suggest that related psychological factors are associated with the development of disability in old age[31–35].”
BackgroundSelf-citation
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Religious Orders Study and Rush Memory and Aging Project
Bennett, D. A., Buchman, A. S., Boyle, P. A., Barnes, L. L., Wilson, R. S., & Schneider, J. A. (2018) · Journal of Alzheimer's Disease · doi:10.3233/jad-179939 · Cited by 1,260
Self-citationOverview and Findings from the Rush Memory and Aging Project
Bennett, D. A., Schneider, J. A., Buchman, A. S., Barnes, L. L., Boyle, P. A., & Wilson, R. S. (2012) · Current Alzheimer Research · doi:10.2174/156720512801322663 · Cited by 849
“Purpose in life was also associated with a reduced risk of incident disability and risk of death [80,149].”
BackgroundSelf-citationMeasures of frailty in population-based studies: an overview
Bouillon, K., Mika Kivimaki, B., Hamer, M., Sabia, S., Fransson, E. I., Singh‐Manoux, A., Galé, C. R., & Batty, G. D. (2013) · BMC Geriatrics · doi:10.1186/1471-2318-13-64 · Cited by 489
“Use of subjective, objective and mixed frailty instruments by type and publication year [68,147,148,174-239].”
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“Other studies have found associations between purpose in life and higher levels of high-density lipoprotein and lower waist-hip ratios (49), reduced odds of disrupted sleep patterns (50), and greater maintenance of functional status among communitydwelling older adults (40).”
BackgroundResultSteptoe, A. (2019) · Annual Review of Public Health · doi:10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040218-044150 · Cited by 474
“Similarly, an analysis of the Rush Memory and Aging Project found that incident disability in basic and instrumental ADLs and mobility was reduced among older people who reported greater purpose in life at baseline, independently of cognitive factors, depressive symptoms, social networks, frailty, and vascular disease…”
Method
Metadata
- Authors
- Boyle, P. A., Buchman, A. S., & Bennett, D. A.
- Affiliations
- Rush University Medical Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Boyle, Patricia A.
- Venue
- The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2010-12
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 1093-1102
- ISSN
- 1064-7481 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC2992099
- OpenAlex
- W2038900041
- Cited by
- 185
- References
- 50
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 4.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute on Aging (R01AG017917, R01-AG-24480, R01‐AG17917, K23AG023040, K23AG040, R01AG024480)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Aging, Health, and Disability
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Keywords
- meaning of life, incident disability, older adults, activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, mobility impairment, functional status, community-dwelling older adults, retirement communities, Rush Memory and Aging Project
- MeSH terms
- Activities of Daily Living, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Dementia, Disability Evaluation, Female, Goals, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Residence Characteristics, Risk Factors, Intention
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