IMPACT OF PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS ON HEALTH OUTCOMES IN THE ELDERLY

One hundred and thirty-five initially healthy men and women older than 65 years of age were studied prospectively to identify factors associ ated with health outcomes. At study onset, measures of personality, so cial interaction, and health locus of control were obtained white part icipants were still healthy. A reliable health outcome measure was dev eloped, based; on the annual objective coding of morbidity. Correlatio ns between variables showed significant associations between age, a le ss independent personality trait, and poor health outcomes. Anxiety an d low levels of social interaction were associated with poor health af ter 8 years. Gender and health locus of control were not significantly related to health outcomes. A path analysis showed significant direct paths between age and trait anxiety and 8-year health outcomes, and i ndirect paths between anxiety and extroversion and 8-year health, by w ay of social interaction. There was no evidence that social interactio n mediated the effects of either anxiety or extroversion on health. Th e structure of psychosocial characteristics of the healthy elderly sam ple was revealed in the pattern of correlations between personality, s ocial interaction, and locus of control.