AGING WELL AND VALUED PURPOSES: DOES MULTI-MORBIDITY HAVE AN IMPACT?

Purpose: As individuals age, remaining engaged in life is critical to healthy aging. The impact of chronic disease and multi-morbidity on individuals’ engagement is not clear. The aim of these analyses is to evaluate and describe the relationship between life engagement and multi-morbidity in a racially diverse sample of older adults. 

Method: These cross-sectional analyses are part of a prospective cohort study that evaluates the relationships between subjective well-being and life transitions in adults > 50 years old. African American and white participants were recruited from primary care practices and community sites throughout the Pittsburgh, PA region. All participants completed a questionnaire (baseline) including sociodemographic information (e.g., age, gender, education), a list of medical conditions (e.g., diabetes mellitus, heart disease, cancer), a measure for social support [12-item Interpersonal Support Evaluation list (ISEL-12), with items like: “I feel there is no one I can share my most private worries and fears with” or “If I was stranded 10 miles from home, there is someone I could call who could come and get me”] and a measure of life engagement [Life Engagement Test (LET)]. We analyzed the LET-score dependent on the number of medical conditions (0 to 6) and age groups (< 55, 55-64, 65-74, 75 and older). Finally, we performed a linear regression analysis (cross-sectional) with the LET-score as the dependent variable and number of medical conditions, age, education, gender, social support, and race as independent variables. 

Result: 681 participants completed the questionnaire; 59.2% were female, 27.4% were African American and the mean age was 62.3 (SD: 8.2) years. A lower LET score is associated with a higher number of medical condition while the LET score for each age groups was essentially the same. In multivariable model interpersonal support (Beta=0.525; SE=0.021; P=0.000) and higher education (Beta=0.067; SE=0.141; P=0.046) had a positive effect on life engagement. Increased multi-morbidity was negative associated with life engagement (Beta= -0.110; SE=0.099; P=0.001) (adjusted R²=0.33). 

Conclusion: In this racially diverse sample of older adults, multi-morbidity is negatively associated with the valued purposes in older adults. This interrelationship has to be considered in future analyses. Interventions to strengthen valued purposes should aim to improve interpersonal support.