Purpose In Life Adds Years to Life

A number of previous studies have suggested that finding a purpose in life lowers risk of mortality above and beyond other factors that are known to predict longevity.  Patrick Hill from Carleton University (Canada), and colleagues utilized data collected on over 6,000 subjects enrolled in the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study.  Over the 14-year follow-up period, 569 of the participants had died (about 9% of the sample). Those who had died had reported lower purpose in life and fewer positive relations than did survivors.  Greater purpose in life consistently predicted lower mortality risk across the lifespan, showing the same benefit for younger, middle-aged, and older participants across the follow-up period.  The study authors submit that: “having a purpose in life appears to widely buffer against mortality risk across the adult years.”