Positive affect and function as influences on self-assessments of health: Expanding our view beyond illness and disability

Longitudinal data from 851 elderly residents of a retirement community (mea n age = 73 years) were used to examine the correlates of self-assessments o f health (SAH) and the predictors of changes in SAH over several follow-up periods ranging from 1 to 5 years. The authors hypothesized that indicators of positive health, including feelings of energy and positive mood, social support, and active functioning, are as important in determining current a nd future SAH as negative indicators such as disease history, disability, m edication, and negative mood. Results of cross-sectional and Longitudinal a nalyses showed that functional ability, medication use, and negative affect were salient to people judging their health, but positive indicators of ac tivity and mood had an even stronger, independent effect. These findings sh ow the importance of attending to the full illness-wellness continuum in st udying people's perceptions of health.