Grant: Operating Grant

Health is influenced by many social and psychological variables, such as the way individuals psychologically appraise life events. For example, appraising events as controllable has positive effects on health. Because individuals are threatened by uncontrollable life challenges as they age, it is critical to understand the implications of perceived control (PC) in late life. Although research generally demonstrates health protective consequences of PC, our paradoxical premise is that appraising health as controllable might have negative consequences when it is part of a toxic appraisal style that results in denial of health care needs and disengagement from health. The strengths of our longitudinal study of community dwelling older adults include: i) access to a representative sample of very old adults; ii) a long follow up (20 years); iii) the linkage of interview data to valuable databases (e.g., Manitoba Health Registry); and iv) an outstanding quality and quantity of data on psychological appraisals in a health context, and outcomes that include physical activity, emotional well being (depression), physical health (e.g., blood oxygen), health care service usage (e.g., physician visits, hospitalizations), and mortality. To the extent that a maladaptive appraisal style corresponds to disengagement from health care and compromised health, the findings would be relevant to understanding the well being of older Canadians. Our findings would also have implications relevant to caregiver burden that results when individuals neglect their health and pose challenges for the informal and formal care systems. This would have further implications for the mounting political pressures and the financial challenges facing the Canadian health care system. The development of an intervention to foster an adaptive appraisal style would have the potential to offset health care costs, relieve caregiver burden, and ultimately, to improve the well being and longevity of Canadians.