Disciplines
Psychology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
A sense of purpose is a central, self-organizing life aim that guides choices and behaviors (Lewis, 2020; Mcknight & Kashdan 2009). In older adulthood, having a sense of purpose is linked with positive health (Musich et al., 2018; Lewis & Hill, 2021). Understanding how older adults who identify as socially marginalized (e.g., racially/ ethnically diverse, LGBTQ+) leverage purpose to navigate their health, for example, when setting health values, making health decisions, or adapting to health challenges may support the development of tailored resources to combat social disparities embedded in healthcare systems. This study used qualitative thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2012). to explore the role of purpose in marginalized older adults’ current health navigation and include how purpose and health navigation change across adulthood. Nineteen older men and women who identified as socially marginalized (Mage = 66.5) participated in semi-structured interviews Analyses revealed that older adults draw on purpose to guide health by maintaining personally meaningful, health-related (e.g., health education, caregiving) vocations into late life and by modeling positive health behaviors for others. Further, the role of purpose in health navigation changed across their adulthoods: participants described shifts from adversity-driven purpose to wellness-focused purpose, translating early adversity into current health motivation, and finding space for their authentic purpose when health was considered to stabilize. Findings demonstrate that, for marginalized older adults, their relationship with their health may improve across the lifespan as they overcome adversity and health becomes enmeshed in purpose. Findings support refining health interventions to account for the role of purpose for older adults who have faced undue social hardship.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Psychological Science
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Shubam Sharma
Additional Faculty
Emily Mroz, emily.mroz@yale.edu
Included in
The Role of Sense of Purpose in Health Navigation among Marginalized Older Adults
A sense of purpose is a central, self-organizing life aim that guides choices and behaviors (Lewis, 2020; Mcknight & Kashdan 2009). In older adulthood, having a sense of purpose is linked with positive health (Musich et al., 2018; Lewis & Hill, 2021). Understanding how older adults who identify as socially marginalized (e.g., racially/ ethnically diverse, LGBTQ+) leverage purpose to navigate their health, for example, when setting health values, making health decisions, or adapting to health challenges may support the development of tailored resources to combat social disparities embedded in healthcare systems. This study used qualitative thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2012). to explore the role of purpose in marginalized older adults’ current health navigation and include how purpose and health navigation change across adulthood. Nineteen older men and women who identified as socially marginalized (Mage = 66.5) participated in semi-structured interviews Analyses revealed that older adults draw on purpose to guide health by maintaining personally meaningful, health-related (e.g., health education, caregiving) vocations into late life and by modeling positive health behaviors for others. Further, the role of purpose in health navigation changed across their adulthoods: participants described shifts from adversity-driven purpose to wellness-focused purpose, translating early adversity into current health motivation, and finding space for their authentic purpose when health was considered to stabilize. Findings demonstrate that, for marginalized older adults, their relationship with their health may improve across the lifespan as they overcome adversity and health becomes enmeshed in purpose. Findings support refining health interventions to account for the role of purpose for older adults who have faced undue social hardship.