Study Pitkälä et al. (2004): study FI 1989
- Public
- 75-85 aged, Helsinki, Finland followed 1989-1999, ( T1 1989, T2 1994, T3 1999)
- Sample
- Respondents
- N = 491
- Non Response
- 18%
- Assessment
-
Interview: face-to-face
Also postal questionnaire and clininal examination.
Correlate
- Authors's Label
- Mortality
- Our Classification
-
-
- Remarks
- T1-T3 difference: 10 years
- Distribution
- N = Alive: 42,6%, Dead: 57,4%
- Operationalization
- 1: Alive at T3
2: Dead at T3
Observed Relation with Happiness
OR controled for:
- age
- gender
- T1 health (comprehensive measure)
This happiness item is part of an index of 'positive life orientation', which also involved questions on: feeling needed, having plans for the future, having zest in life, seldom feeling depressed and seldom feeling lonely (all coded yes/no)
High scores on that index at T1 (all items yes) go with a lower chance of being dead at T3 (OR 0.89). Split up shows that this effect is due to the items on feeling needed and seldom feeling depressed or lonely. Ss reponding yes to the questions on zest for life and satisfaction with life had a slightly greater chance of being dead at T3.