eISSN: 2449-8580
ISSN: 1734-3402
Family Medicine & Primary Care Review
Current issue Archive Manuscripts accepted About the journal Editorial board Reviewers Abstracting and indexing Subscription Contact Instructions for authors Publication charge Ethical standards and procedures
Editorial System
Submit your Manuscript
SCImago Journal & Country Rank
Search
3/2023
vol. 25
 
Share:
Send email
Share:
Original paper

The link between happiness and health: a review of concepts, pathways and strategies for enhancing well-being

Mafalda Mendes
1
,
Pedro Augusto Simões
1, 2
,
José Augusto Simões
1, 3
,
Luiz Miguel Santiago
4, 5, 6
,
Filipe Prazeres
1, 3, 7
,
Tiago Maricoto
1, 7, 8

1.
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
2.
Personalised Health Care Unit Fundão, Fundão, Portugal
3.
CINTESIS@RISE, MEDCIDS, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
4.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Portugal
5.
General Practice Clinic of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Portugal
6.
Centre for Health Studies and Research of the University of Coimbra (CEISUC), Coimbra, Portugal
7.
Family Health Unit Beira Ria, Gafanha da Nazaré, Portugal
8.
Aveiro Healthcare Centre, Family Health Unit Aradas, Aveiro, Portugal
Family Medicine & Primary Care Review 2023; 25(3): 288–296
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/fmpcr.2023.130090
Online publish date: 2023/09/30
Article file
- 09 FM&PCR 3 23 - O - Mendes - 1292 - The link.pdf  [0.54 MB]
Get citation
 
PlumX metrics:
 
1. Kemp AH, Arias JA, Fisher Z. Social ties, health and wellbeing: a literature review and model. In: Ibáñez A, Sedeño L, García AM, eds. Neuroscience and Social Science: The Missing Link. Springer International Publishing; 2017: 397–427, doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-68421-5.
2. Steptoe A. Happiness and Health. Annu Rev Public Health 2019; 40: 339–359, doi: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040218-044150.
3. Vanderweele TJ. On the promotion of human flourishing. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2017; 114: 8148–8156, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1702996114.
4. Liu B, Floud S, Pirie K, et al. Does happiness itself directly affect mortality? the prospective UK Million Women Study. Lancet 2016; 387: 874–881, doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)01087-9.
5. Barger SD, Broom TW, Esposito MV, et al. Is subjective well-being independently associated with mortality? A 14-year prospective cohort study in a representative sample of 25 139 US men and women. BMJ Open 2020; 10: 1–9, doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031776.
6. Willroth EC, Ong AD, Graham EK, et al. Being Happy and Becoming Happier as Independent Predictors of Physical Health and Mortality. Psychosom Med 2020; 82: 650–657, doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000832.
7. Chida Y, Steptoe A. Positive psychological well-being and mortality: a quantitative review of prospective observation-al studies. Psychosom Med 2008; 70: 741–756, doi: 10.1097/PSY.0b013e31818105ba.
8. Hernandez R, Bassett SM, Boughton SW, et al. Psychological Well-Being and Physical Health: Associations, Mechanisms, and Future Directions. Emot Rev 2018; 10: 18–29, doi: 10.1177/1754073917697824.
9. Okely JA, Gale CR. Well-being and Chronic Disease Incidence: The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Psychosom Med 2016; 78: 335–344, doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000279.
10. Prophetis E, de, Goel V, Watson T, et al. Relationship between life satisfaction and preventable hospitalisations: A population-based cohort study in Ontario, Canada. BMJ Open 2020; 10: 1–11, doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032837.
11. Wood AM, Joseph S. The absence of positive psychological (eudemonic) well-being as a risk factor for depression: a ten year cohort study. J Affect Disord 2010; 122: 213–217, doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2009.06.032.
12. Burns RA, Windsor T, Butterworth P, et al. The protective effects of wellbeing and flourishing on long-term mental health risk. SSM – Ment Heal 2022; 2: 1–10, doi: 10.1016/j.ssmmh.2021.100052.
13. Iasiello M, Agteren J, van, Keyes CLM, et al. Positive mental health as a predictor of recovery from mental illness. J Affect Disord 2019; 251: 227–230, doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.03.065.
14. Pressman SD, Jenkins BN, Moskowitz JT. Positive Affect and Health: What Do We Know and Where Next Should We Go? Annu Rev Psychol 2019; 70: 627–650, doi: 10.1146/annurev-psych-010418-102955.
15. Diener E, Oishi S, Tay L. Advances in subjective well-being research. Nat Hum Behav 2018; 2: 253–260, doi: 10.1038/s41562-018-0307-6.
16. Diener E, Lucas RE, Oishi S. Advances and open questions in the science of subjective well-being. Collabra Psychol 2018; 4: 1–49, doi: 10.1525/collabra.115.
17. Lomas T, Case BW, Cratty F, et al. A global history of happiness. J Int Wellbeing 2021; 11: 68–87, doi: 10.5007/2175-7976.2021.e82714.
18. Ryan RM, Deci EL. On happiness and human potentials: a review of research on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Annu Rev Psychol 2001; 52: 141–166, doi: 10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.141.
19. Disabato DJ, Goodman FR, Kashdan TB, et al. Different Types of Well-Being? A Cross-Cultural Examination of Hedonic and Eudaimonic Well-Being. Psychol Assess 2016; 27: 1–12.
20. Mead J, Fisher Z, Kemp AH. Moving Beyond Disciplinary Silos Towards a Transdisciplinary Model of Wellbeing: An Invited Review. Front Psychol 2021; 12: 1–10, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.642093.
21. Mead J, Fisher Z, Wilkie L, et al. Rethinking wellbeing: Toward a more ethical science of wellbeing that considers cur-rent and future generations. Authorea Prepr 2019; 1–51, doi: 10.22541/au.156649190.08734276.
22. Vik MH, Carlquist E. Measuring subjective well-being for policy purposes: the example of well-being indicators in the WHO ‘Health 2020’ framework. Scand J Public Health 2018; 46(2): 279–286, doi: 10.1177/1403494817724952.
23. Kimiecik J. Exploring the Promise of Eudaimonic Well-Being Within the Practice of Health Promotion: The ‘How’ is as Important as the ‘What’. J Happiness Stud 2011; 12: 769–792, doi: 10.1007/s10902-010-9226-6.
24. Linton MJ, Dieppe P, Medina-Lara A. Review of 99 self-report measures for assessing well-being in adults: Exploring dimensions of well-being and developments over time. BMJ Open 2016; 6, doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010641.
25. Das KV, Jones-Harrell C, Fan Y, et al. Understanding subjective well-being: perspectives from psychology and public health. Public Health Rev 2020; 41: 1–32, doi: 10.1186/s40985-020-00142-5.
26. Cooke PJ, Melchert TP, Connor K. Measuring Well-Being: A Review of Instruments. Couns Psychol 2016; 44: 730–757, doi: 10.1177/0011000016633507.
27. Schneiderman N, Ironson G, Siegel SD. Stress and health: Psychological, behavioral, and biological determinants. Annu Rev Clin Psychol 2005; 1: 607–628, doi: 10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.1.102803.144141.
28. Fink G, ed. Stress: Concepts, Cognition, Emotion, and Behavior: Handbook of Stress. Elsevier Academic Press; 2016, doi: 10.1016/c2013-0-12842-5.
29. Kubzansky LD, Huffman JC, Boehm JK, et al. Positive Psychological Well-Being and Cardiovascular Disease: JACC Health Promotion Series. J Am Coll Cardiol 2018; 72: 1382–1396, doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2018.07.042.
30. King ML. The neural correlates of well-being: a systematic review of the human neuroimaging and neuropsychologi-cal literature. Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci 2019; 19: 779–796, doi: 10.3758/s13415-019-00720-4.
31. Breit S, Kupferberg A, Rogler G, et al. Vagus nerve as modulator of the brain-gut axis in psychiatric and inflammatory disorders. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9, doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044.
32. Pavlov VA, Tracey KJ. The vagus nerve and the inflammatory reflex – linking immunity and metabolism. Nat Rev En-docrinol 2012; 8: 743–754, doi: 10.1038/nrendo.2012.189.
33. Thayer JF, Hansen AL, Saus-Rose E, et al. Heart rate variability, prefrontal neural function, and cognitive performance: The neurovisceral integration perspective on self-regulation, adaptation, and health. Ann Behav Med 2009; 37: 141–153, doi: 10.1007/s12160-009-9101-z.
34. Kok BE, Coffey KA, Cohn MA, et al. How Positive Emotions Build Physical Health: Perceived Positive Social Connec-tions Account for the Upward Spiral Between Positive Emotions and Vagal Tone. Psychol Sci 2013; 24: 1123–1132, doi: 10.1177/0956797612470827.
35. Bennett JM, Reeves G, Billman GE, et al. Inflammation-nature’s way to efficiently respond to all types of challenges: Implications for understanding and managing ‘the epidemic’ of chronic diseases. Front Med 2018; 5: 1–30, doi: 10.3389/fmed.2018.00316.
36. Okely JA, Weiss A, Gale CR. Well-Being and Arthritis Incidence: The Role of Inflammatory Mechanisms. Findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Psychosom Med 2017; 79: 742–748, doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000480.
37. Fancourt D, Steptoe A. The longitudinal relationship between changes in wellbeing and inflammatory markers: Are associations independent of depression? Brain Behav Immun 2019; 83: 146–152, doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.10.004.
38. Berkowitz L, Henríquez MP, Salazar C, et al. Association between serum sphingolipids and eudaimonic well-being in white U.S. adults. Sci Rep 2021; 11: 1–11, doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-92576-3.
39. Berkowitz L, Cabrera-Reyes F, Salazar C, et al. Sphingolipid Profiling: A Promising Tool for Stratifying the Metabolic Syndrome-Associated Risk. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 8: 1–12, doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.785124.
40. Schenk HM, Jeronimus BF, Krieke L, van der, et al. Associations of Positive Affect and Negative Affect with Allostatic Load: A Lifelines Cohort Study. Psychosom Med 2018; 80: 160–166, doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000546.
41. Alberti KGMM, Eckel RH, Grundy SM, et al. Harmonizing the metabolic syndrome: A Joint Interim Statement of the International Diabetes Federation Task Force on Epidemiology and Prevention; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; American Heart Association; World Heart Federation; International. Circulation 2009; 120: 1640–1645, doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.109.192644.
42. Boylan JM, Ryff CD. Psychological well-being and metabolic syndrome: Findings from the midlife in the United States national sample. Psychosom Med 2015; 77: 548–558, doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000192.
43. Shahabi L, Karavolos K, Everson-Rose SA, et al. Associations of Psychological Well-Being with Carotid Intima Media Thickness in African American and White Middle-Aged Women. Psychosom Med 2016; 78: 511–519, doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000293.
44. Ikeda A, Steptoe A, Shipley M, et al. Psychological Wellbeing and Aortic Stiffness: Longitudinal Study. Hypertension 2020: 675–682, doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.119.14284.
45. Berkman LF, Kawachi I, Glymour MM, eds. Social Epidemiology. 2nd ed. Oxford University Press; 2014, doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-803678-5.00417-3.
46. Fredrickson BL. The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: the broaden-and-build theory of positive emo-tions. Am Psychol 2001; 56: 218–226, doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.218.
47. Fredrickson BL. Updated thinking on positivity ratios. Am Psychol 2013; 68: 814–822, doi: 10.1037/a0033584.
48. Hunt CA, Smith MT, Mun CJ, et al. Trait positive affect buffers the association between experimental sleep disruption and inflammation. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 129: 105240, doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105240.
49. Gruber J, Moskowitz JT, eds. Positive Emotion: Integrating the Light Sides and Dark Sides. Vol 34. Oxford University Press; 2014.
50. Sirgy MJ. Positive balance: a hierarchical perspective of positive mental health. Qual Life Res 2019; 28: 1921–1930, doi: 10.1007/s11136-019-02145-5.
51. Balzarotti S, Biassoni F, Villani D, et al. Individual Differences in Cognitive Emotion Regulation: Implications for Subjective and Psychological Well-Being. J Happiness Stud 2016; 17: 125–143, doi: 10.1007/s10902-014-9587-3.
52. Jentsch VL, Wolf OT. The impact of emotion regulation on cardiovascular, neuroendocrine and psychological stress responses. Biol Psychol 2020; 154: 107893, doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2020.107893.
53. Beaglehole R, Bonita R, Horton R, et al. Priority actions for the non-communicable disease crisis. Lancet 2011; 377: 1438–1447, doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60393-0.
54. Kim ES, Kubzansky LD, Soo J, et al. Maintaining Healthy Behavior: a Prospective Study of Psychological Well-Being and Physical Activity. Ann Behav Med 2017; 51: 337–347, doi: 10.1007/s12160-016-9856-y.
55. Rickard NS, Vella-Brodrick DA. Changes in Well-Being: Complementing a Psychosocial Approach with Neurobiological Insights. Soc Indic Res 2014; 117: 437–457, doi: 10.1007/s11205-013-0353-4.
56. Helliwell JF, Layard R, Sachs JD, et al., eds. World Happiness Report 2022. New York: Sustainable Development Solutions Network; 2022.
57. Trudel-Fitzgerald C, Millstein RA, Hippel C, von, et al. Psychological well-being as part of the public health debate? Insight into dimensions, interventions, and policy. BMC Public Health 2019; 19: 1–11, doi: 10.1186/s12889-019-8029-x.
58. Allen JG, Romate J, Rajkumar E. Mindfulness-based positive psychology interventions: a systematic review. BMC Psychol 2021; 9: 1–18, doi: 10.1186/s40359-021-00618-2.
59. Klussman K, Nichols AL, Langer J. The Role of Self-Connection in the Relationship between Mindfulness and Mean-ing: A Longitudinal Examination. Appl Psychol Heal Well-Being 2020; 12: 636–659, doi: 10.1111/aphw.12200.
60. Singleton O, Hölzel BK, Vangel M, et al. Change in brainstem gray matter concentration following a mindfulness-based intervention is correlated with improvement in psychological well-being. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8: 1–7, doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00033.
61. Agteren J, van, Iasiello M, Lo L, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of psychological interventions to im-prove mental wellbeing. Nat Hum Behav 2021; 5: 631–652, doi: 10.1038/s41562-021-01093-w.
62. Levine GN, Cohen BE, Commodore-Mensah Y, et al. Psychological Health, Well-Being, and the Mind-Heart-Body Connection: A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation 2021: E763–E783, doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000947.
63. Massey CN, Feig EH, Duque-Serrano L, et al. Well-being interventions for individuals with diabetes: a systematic review. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 2019; 147: 118–133, doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2018.11.014.
64. Hershberger PJ. Prescribing happiness: positive psychology and family medicine. Fam Med 2005; 37: 630–634.
65. Feller SC, Castillo EG, Greenberg JM, et al. Emotional well-being and public health: proposal for a model national initiative. Public Health Rep 2018; 133: 136–141, doi: 10.1177/0033354918754540.
66. Buettner D, Nelson T, Veenhoven R. Ways to Greater Happiness: A Delphi Study. J Happiness Stud 2020; 21: 2789–2806, doi: 10.1007/s10902-019-00199-3.
67. Santomauro DF, Mantilla Herrera AM, Shadid J, et al. Global prevalence and burden of depressive and anxiety disorders in 204 countries and territories in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lancet 2021; 398: 1700–1712, doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(21)02143-7.
68. Glasbey J, Ademuyiwa A, Adisa A, et al. Effect of COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns on planned cancer surgery for 15 tumour types in 61 countries: an international, prospective, cohort study. Lancet Oncol 2021; 22: 1507–1517, doi: 10.1016/s1470-2045(21)00493-9.
69. World Health Organization. ‘Best buys’ and other recommended interventions for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases. World Heal Organ 2017; 17: 28.
70. Mendes-Santos C, Andersson G, Weiderpass E, et al. Mitigating COVID-19 Impact on the Portuguese Population Mental Health: The Opportunity That Lies in Digital Mental Health. Front Public Heal 2020; 8: 1–8, doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.553345.
71. Allen J, Balfour R, Bell R, et al. Social determinants of mental health. Int Rev Psychiatry 2014; 26: 392–407, doi: 10.3109/09540261.2014.928270.
72. Patel V, Saxena S, Lund C, et al. The Lancet Commission on global mental health and sustainable development. Lancet 2018; 392: 1553–1598, doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31612-X.
73. Etzelmueller A, Vis C, Karyotaki E, et al. Effects of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy in routine care for ad-ults in treatment for depression and anxiety: Systematic review and meta-analysis. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22, doi: 10.2196/18100.
74. Torous J, Myrick KJ, Rauseo-Ricupero N, et al. Digital mental health and COVID-19: Using technology today to accelerate the curve on access and quality tomorrow. JMIR Ment Heal 2020; 7: 1–6, doi: 10.2196/18848.
75. Pressman SD, Hooker ED. Happiness and Health. In: Gellman MD, Turner JR, eds. Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. New York (NY): Springer; 2013, doi: 10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9.
Copyright: © 2023 Family Medicine & Primary Care Review. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/), allowing third parties to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format and to remix, transform, and build upon the material, provided the original work is properly cited and states its license.
  
Termedia
About us Contact
Copyright notice Privacy policy Advertising policy Contact us
Quick links
Journals Books eBooks Events
© 2024 Termedia Sp. z o.o.
Developed by Bentus.