Greater life satisfaction predicted fewer doctor visits - even after controlling for baseline health and possible sociodemographic and health-related confounds. Implications for reducing health care costs are discussed.
Countries around the world are considering and adopting national accounts of subjective well-being. This study examines the measures of life satisfaction used to define subjective well-being, and how measures can impact public policy.
People who have positive psychological well-being may be more likely to engage in heart-healthy behaviors such as exercising, eating a healthy diet, and avoiding smoking, all behaviors that also reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease. These researchers reviewed the evidence linking well-being and health behaviors, and described strategies to enhance well-being studied by others, and the implications for 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.