This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by van Doorn, C. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

A Qualitative Approach to Studying Health Optimism, Realism, and Pessimism

Yale University School of Medicine

To determine why older people are optimistic, realistic, or pessimistic on self-rated health relative to standard medical health measures, 48 persons older than age 65 were interviewed in an in-depth, semistructured format. Comparisons were made between optimists and poor-health realists, both of whom have serious health problems, to discover the ways in which these groups develop their disparate self-ratings of health. When asked about the meanings they attach to health, respondents variously referred to topics including family history, social comparisons, subjective age, and life expectancy to form their ratings. These results begin to clarify the ways in which different people view similar states of health, building on recent research showing that health pessimists are at an elevated risk of mortality, while health optimists reduce their mortality risk.

Research on Aging, Vol. 21, No. 3, 440-457 (1999)
DOI: 10.1177/0164027599213005


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H.-J. Breidablik, E. Meland, and S. Lydersen Self-rated health during adolescence: stability and predictors of change (Young-HUNT study, Norway) Eur J Public Health, January 1, 2009; 19(1): 73 - 78. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. C. Ruthig and A. Allery Native American Elders' Health Congruence: The Role of Gender and Corresponding Functional Well-being, Hospital Admissions, and Social Engagement J Health Psychol, November 1, 2008; 13(8): 1072 - 1081. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. M. Kim and M. H. Fox Moving to a Holistic Model of Health among Persons with Mobility Disabilities Qualitative Social Work, December 1, 2006; 5(4): 470 - 488. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T. B. Hong, E. Z. Oddone, T. K. Dudley, and H. B. Bosworth Subjective and Objective Evaluations of Health Among Middle-Aged and Older Veterans with Hypertension J Aging Health, October 1, 2005; 17(5): 592 - 608. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J.G. Simon, J.B. De Boer, I.M.A. Joung, H. Bosma, and J.P. Mackenbach How is your health in general? A qualitative study on self-assessed health Eur J Public Health, April 1, 2005; 15(2): 200 - 208. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. B. Hong, S. H. Zarit, and B. Malmberg The Role of Health Congruence in Functional Status and Depression J. Gerontol. B. Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci., July 1, 2004; 59(4): P151 - P157. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. P. Daaleman, S. Perera, and S. A. Studenski Religion, Spirituality, and Health Status in Geriatric Outpatients Ann. Fam. Med, January 1, 2004; 2(1): 49 - 53. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]