|
|
Self-esteem and HealthIs the Relationship Real?
Ronald W. Chapman, MD, MPH
Arch Fam Med. 1997;6(1):71.
|
|
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings. |
|
|
|
THE STUDY by Hurst et al1 in this issue of the Archives of Family Medicine adds important information to the limited data regarding self-esteem and health. The relationship between self-esteem and health is an example of the interaction between mind and body. In the 1970s and 1980s, researchers focused on self-rated health as a predictor of health.2-4 Although self-esteem was not directly measured, it seems intuitive that people with high self-esteem would rate themselves as having good health. In fact, the study by Mossey and Shapiro2 showed that people with excellent "life satisfaction" had higher self-rated health and greater longevity, regardless of their "objective health status." In comparison, those subjects with poor life satisfaction had low self-rated health and increased risk of death, again regardless of objective health status.
Roos and Havens3 followed up a cohort of 3573 people aged 65 to 84 years from
. . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]
Author Affiliations
University of California, Davis Sacramento, Calif
|