A research group led by Associate Professor Ai Noda and Professor Takeshi Tanigawa of Juntendo University School of Medicine analyzed data from a large-scale survey of civil servants working in London, England, and found that they had a positive psychological state (psychological well-being *). We found that the element "meaning and purpose in life" suppressed arteriosclerosis in elderly men, and that the effect continued even after 5 years.
According to Juntendo University, the research group has been conducting a follow-up survey of civil servants in London since 1985, using data such as the aortic pulse wave velocity, which is an indicator of arteriosclerosis. I analyzed how it affects the disease.For the evaluation of psychological state, CASP-19 (self-administered questionnaire for evaluating psychological well-being used worldwide) was used.
Of the approximately 2007 men and women with an average age of 2009 years who had no cerebrovascular disease or cardiovascular disease at the time of the 5-65.3 survey and were followed up five years later, men felt the meaning and purpose of their lives. It was found that the positive psychological state represented suppressed the aortic pulse wave velocity low and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.That trend continues in the follow-up after 4,800 years.However, no similar tendency was seen in females.
In the index showing the state of feeling pleasure, data showing the relationship with the aortic pulse wave velocity could not be obtained for both men and women.The research group believes that the state of feeling the meaning and purpose in life is more effective in suppressing arteriosclerosis than the state of feeling pleasure in elderly men.
* CASP-19 defines psychological well-being in the four areas of "joy and enjoyment of life," "control," "autonomy," and "self-actualization."In this study, the item "joy and enjoyment of life" is used as an index of hedonia well-being (a state of feeling "pleasure"), and the items of the other three areas are Udymonia well-being ("in life"). It is used as an index of "meaning / purpose".
Paper information:[Hypertension] Psychological Wellbeing and Aortic Stiffness: Longitudinal Study
