Are vacations good for your health? The 9-year mortality experience after the multiple risk factor intervention trial

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the risk for variou s causes of posttrial death associated with vacation frequency during the M ultiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MRFIT), Methods: Middle-aged men at high risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) were recruited for the MRFIT. A s part of the questionnaires administered during the first five annual visi ts, men were asked whether they had had a vacation during the past year. Fo r trial survivors (N = 12,338), the frequency of these annual vacations dur ing the trial were used in a prospective analysis of posttrial all-cause an d cause-specific mortality during the 9-year follow-up period. Results: The relative risk (RR) associated with more annual vacations during the trial was 0.83 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.71-0.97) for all-cause mortality during the 9-year follow-up period. For cause of death, the RRs were 0.71 ( 95% CI, 0.58-0.89) and 0.98 (95% CI, 0.78-1.23) for cardiovascular and nonc ardiovascular causes, respectively. The RR was 0.68 (95% CI, 0.53-0.88) for CHD (including acute myocardial infarction). These associations remained w hen statistical adjustments were made for possible confounding variables, i ncluding baseline characteristics leg, income), MRFIT group assignment, and occurrence of a nonfatal cardiovascular event during the trial, Conclusion s: The frequency of annual vacations by middle-aged men at high risk for CH D is associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality and, more specif ically, mortality attributed to CHD. Vacationing may be good for your healt h.