Optimism, pessimism, and health biomarkers in older couples.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Studies have demonstrated the importance of optimism in predicting perceived general health. However, the handful of studies focusing on cardiovascular biomarkers show inconsistent effects. Additionally, no study examined whether spousal levels of optimism and pessimism affect an individual's biological markers of cardiovascular health. Thus, our objectives were to examine whether partners' optimism and pessimism affect individual biological markers, differentiating between between-dyad associations and within-dyad predictive processes.

Methods

Three waves of the Health and Retirement Study collected in 2006, 2010, and 2014 were used to test actor and partner effects of optimism and pessimism on C-reactive protein (CRP) and high-density lipoprotein. Multilevel long

SUBMITTER: Arbel R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7606535 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature