Optimism may cut stroke risk -- study
POSTED July 24, 2011 - 13:34 | POSTED BY Anter Prakash Singh
Last edited by Jaspreet Virk on July 24, 2011 - 15:13
However, the researchers made a distinction between positivity an other forms of positivity as they claimed that while happiness and joy are mostly temporary, optimism is a broader and systematic feeling reflecting in day to day actions.
The study
The researchers surveyed more than 6000 Americans, over the age of 60, out of the the 22,000 participants in the Health and Retirement Study.
Analyzing the data participants, (2,542 men and 3,502 women) researchers led by Eric Kim that with with increase in optimism, the chances of stroke lowered.
Eight eight stroked occurred during the study period. Further, researchers found a 9 percent decrease in the risk of stroke when they calculated it on the revised Life Oriented Test.
The findings were adjusted for chronic illnesses, related socio-demographic, biological, psychological and behavioural factors.
Kim was quoted by MedPage Today as saying“There is this notion that optimists are foolish and don’t worry about health outcomes because they believe everything will be fine. But studies consistently show that high optimism is associated with health knowledge and the pursuit of healthy behaviours.”
Kim and co-researchers found that negative factors like depression, anxiety and neuroticism increased the chances of stroke, and optimism reduced their effect.
“The proactive effect of optimism remains significant in all models, implying that optimism protects against stroke above and beyond the effects of the negative psychological factors tested,” wrote the researchers.
Study limitations
Acknowledging the limitations of the study, Kim said that they had followed the participants for two years only. Another limitation was the self reporting done in the study.
Though more research is needed to confirm the findings, the researchers believe that optimism can lead to a decrease in the risk of stroke,
Kim is pursuing his doctoral research in clinical psychology at the university.
The study findings are published in the online edition of ‘Journal of the American Heart Association.’
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