Factors influencing well-being in the elderly

One of the aims of research on well-being is to discover the factors that e ither increase or decrease well-being, in both young and old people. Many f actors have been studied in relation to well-being, but only some have been found to be associated with it. These factors are demographic (age, sex, c ulture, marital status), social (socioeconomic status, having children, rel igion, social contacts) or are related to personality, life events, health, and activities. However, some of these factors have a stronger association than others. This article gives a brief review of this research with speci al focus on the elderly. Curr Opin Psychiatry 14:361-365.; (C) 2001 Lippinc ott Williams & Wilkins.