Just yesterday we were enlightened by a report which said that optimistic teens may experience healthy adulthood. On similar lines, a study by University of Michigan scientists has revealed that a positive approach to life will seemingly lessen the risk of encountering a stroke.
The investigators examined information from the continuing Health and Retirement study during the period from 2006 to 2008. The participants apparently did not suffer from stroke during the onset of the study. The analysts gauged the optimism levels of participants by using an enhanced Life Orientation Test-Revised. The latter is a well-known assessment facility in which users give rankings to their responses on a mathematical scale.
This national level study comprised 6,044 adults above the age of 50 who rated their optimism proportions on a 16-point scale. Every rise in 1 point seemed to decrease the chances of having acute stroke by 9 percent, respectively. These findings were disclosed in the two-year follow-up phase.
“When people have a positive outlook on life, they undertake actions more likely to produce good outcomes,” explained Eric Kim, the study’s lead author and a clinical psychology doctoral student.
The scientists made use of logistic regression analysis to measure the link between optimism and stroke. They also regulated variables that seemingly influenced stroke risk, including chronic illness, self-diagnosed health, behavioral, biological and psychological attributes. The shielding effect of positive attitude is basically due to certain behavioral aspects of people such as consuming vitamins, healthy diet and workouts. Nevertheless, the optimistic way of life seems to have implications in biological outcomes too.
The study is published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.