Research Database

Use the filters on the left to sort research by publication date, asset type, health asset, or health outcome.

May 2014
Prospective Study of the Association Between Dispositional Optimism and Incident Heart Failure
Prospective data from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative study of older US adults, was analyzed to examine the relationship between optimism and heart failure, adjusting for sociodemographic, biological, behavioral, and psychological covariates. Higher optimism was associated with a lower risk of incident heart failure during the follow-up period, and these effects persisted when accounting for covariates.
April 17, 2012
The Heart's Content: The Association Between Positive Psychological Well-Being and Cardiovascular Health
Positive psychological well-being, especially optimism, protects against the incidence, and somewhat against the progression, of cardiovascular disease through a broad array of mechanisms, according to this extensive literature review.
February 2012
Can Optimism Decrease the Risk of Illness and Disease Among the Elderly?
Research suggests that optimistic individuals are more likely to live a healthier and longer life. However, more longitudinal studies are necessary to learn more about when, why, how and for whom optimism plays a role in good health and whether interventions that enhance optimism will yield health benefits.

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