Fischer Ian C, Feldman David B, Tsai Jack, Harpaz-Rotem Ilan, McCutcheon Victoria E, Schulenberg Stefan E, Pietrzak Robert H
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Department of Counseling Psychology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA.
Prev Med. 2023 May;170:107495. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107495. Epub 2023 Mar 29.
General population studies suggest purpose in life (PIL) is associated with a number of positive outcomes, including better mental and physical health. At present, however, scarce research has examined how PIL relates to these outcomes in veterans. The goal of this study was to determine the current prevalence of different levels of PIL and their associations with reported physical health in a nationally representative sample of predominantly older U.S. veterans. Cross-sectional data were analyzed from the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (N = 4069; M = 62.2). Veterans were classified into low, average, and high PIL. Self-report assessments were administered to assess physical health conditions and physical functioning. Results showed most veterans endorsed average PIL (71.7%), while 16.0% endorsed low PIL and 12.3% endorsed high PIL. Low PIL was associated with lower overall self-reported health and physical and cognitive functioning, as well as higher bodily pain, somatic symptoms, and physical role limitations (Cohen's d = 0.06-0.77). Low PIL was also associated with elevated rates of several physical health conditions, including sleep disorders, as well as obesity and disability with activities of daily living (i.e., ADLs) or instrumental activities of daily living (i.e., IADLs). These results suggest low PIL is associated with physical health difficulties, and underscore the importance of assessing and monitoring PIL, and evaluating whether interventions to promote PIL may help improve physical health and vice versa.
一般人群研究表明，生活目的（PIL）与许多积极结果相关，包括更好的身心健康。然而，目前很少有研究探讨PIL在退伍军人中与这些结果的关系。本研究的目的是在以美国老年退伍军人为主要代表的全国性样本中，确定不同水平PIL的当前患病率及其与报告的身体健康的关联。对2019 - 2020年退伍军人健康与复原力全国性研究的横断面数据进行了分析（N = 4069；M = 62.2）。退伍军人被分为低、中、高PIL组。通过自我报告评估来评估身体健康状况和身体功能。结果显示，大多数退伍军人认可中等PIL（71.7%），而16.0%认可低PIL，12.3%认可高PIL。低PIL与总体自我报告的健康状况较差、身体和认知功能较低，以及更高的身体疼痛、躯体症状和身体角色限制相关（科恩d值 = 0.06 - 0.77）。低PIL还与多种身体健康状况的发生率升高相关，包括睡眠障碍，以及肥胖和日常生活活动（即ADL）或工具性日常生活活动（即IADL）方面的残疾。这些结果表明，低PIL与身体健康困难相关，并强调了评估和监测PIL以及评估促进PIL的干预措施是否有助于改善身体健康（反之亦然）的重要性。
