Unhappiness and Mortality: Evidence from a Middle-Income Southeast Asian Setting

BioPsychoSocial Medicine, 8:18, 2014, DOI: 10.1186/1751-0759-8-18

5 Pages Posted: 14 Aug 2014

See all articles by Vasoontara Yiengprugsawan

Vasoontara Yiengprugsawan

Australian National University (ANU)

Sam-Ang Seubsman

Australian National University (ANU)

Adrian Sleigh

Australian National University (ANU) - National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health

Date Written: August 11, 2014

Abstract

Background: A relationship between happiness and mortality might seem obvious, but outside of affluent settings in developed countries there is almost no actual evidence that this is so.

Findings: We report our findings on happiness and mortality in Buddhist Southeast Asia. Our data are derived from a prospective nationwide cohort study of 60,569 Thai adults reporting in 2009 and followed up for all-cause mortality over the next four years (296 deaths). We also gathered data on a wide array of covariates and included these in the final model of the unhappiness-mortality effect. All final effect estimates were mutually adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and cohort members who reported being happy ‘little’ or ‘none of the time’ in 2009 were more likely to die (AOR 2.60, 95% Confidence Interval 1.17-5.80). Other significant covariates include being female (<40 years AOR 0.66, ≥40 years AOR 0.57), unmarried (AOR 1.64) and current smokers (AOR 2.45).

Conclusion: Our study provides empirical evidence that the epidemiological effect of happiness is not confined to affluent Western countries, but it also increases the probability of staying alive in a middle-income Asian country.

Suggested Citation

Yiengprugsawan, Vasoontara and Seubsman, Sam-Ang and Sleigh, Adrian, Unhappiness and Mortality: Evidence from a Middle-Income Southeast Asian Setting (August 11, 2014). BioPsychoSocial Medicine, 8:18, 2014, DOI: 10.1186/1751-0759-8-18, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2478836

Vasoontara Yiengprugsawan (Contact Author)

Australian National University (ANU) ( email )

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601
Australia

Sam-Ang Seubsman

Australian National University (ANU) ( email )

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601
Australia

Adrian Sleigh

Australian National University (ANU) - National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health ( email )

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Australia

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