Recent Findings from the MIDUS Study

Chronic pain is a leading cause of disability worldwide and has significant impacts on people’s lives, including contributing to severe, ongoing stress. This study explored the interactions between chronic pain and work-family interactions, given that …

Memory complaints from people who notice they are becoming more forgetful are a growing public health concern, partly because such complaints may be an early indicator of Alzheimer’s disease. Research has shown that stress can …

  Researchers have often examined the cliché “money can’t buy happiness.” Prior findings suggest that having a higher income is associated with greater well-being, at least until the highest income levels are reached. However, research …

Rates of dementia and other cognitive (thinking) disorders, along with aging-related chronic conditions, are expected to significantly increase in coming years, due to ever greater numbers of older people. Rates of depression may also increase, …

Research has shown that poor sleep is a risk factor for developing chronic disease, and that aging often involves a decline in sleep quality and quantity. However, most sleep studies have used a single measure …

Studies have shown that smoking is associated with worse physical functioning. However, most previous research has included only older adults. It has not considered whether smoking affects people’s health at younger ages, in spite of …

Having 2 or more chronic illnesses is known as multimorbidity, which is a way of measuring a person’s physical health without reference to any specific disease. Multimorbidity is increasingly common among older adults, as aging …

Research increasingly shows that contact with nature can have positive effects on mental and physical health, such as increasing positive emotions, or reducing obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. However, few studies have linked nature engagement …

It is estimated that more than half of people suffering from depression will also develop an anxiety disorder sometime during their lives, and vice versa. The reason for these associations are unclear, but important to …

Frailty has been linked to increased risk of falling, injuries, longer hospital stays, poorer quality of life, and higher mortality. As such, it can be a major health issue for some older adults. This MIDUS …