{"title":"Hope and the Life Course: Results From a Longitudinal Study of 25,000 Adults.","authors":"Carol Graham, Redzo Mujcic","doi":"10.1002/hec.70041","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper reports the first large-scale longitudinal links between one of the least known dimensions of wellbeing-hope-and long-term outcomes in a range of life arenas. Hope has agentic properties which are relevant to people's future outcomes. Following 25,000 randomly sampled Australian adults over a period of 14 years from 2007 to 2021 (N > 115,000), we find a strong link between hope and better contemporary and future outcomes. Individuals with high levels of hope had improved later wellbeing, education, economic and employment outcomes, perceived and objective health, and are less likely to be lonely. Hope is associated with higher resilience, ability to adapt, and internal locus of control. It also serves as a psychological buffer during bad times. Respondents with high levels of hope were less likely to be influenced by negative life events and adapted more quickly and completely after these major events. Better understanding the drivers and consequences of hope can ultimately inform public policy to improve people's lives.</p>","PeriodicalId":12847,"journal":{"name":"Health economics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Health economics","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1002/hec.70041","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ECONOMICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This paper reports the first large-scale longitudinal links between one of the least known dimensions of wellbeing-hope-and long-term outcomes in a range of life arenas. Hope has agentic properties which are relevant to people's future outcomes. Following 25,000 randomly sampled Australian adults over a period of 14 years from 2007 to 2021 (N > 115,000), we find a strong link between hope and better contemporary and future outcomes. Individuals with high levels of hope had improved later wellbeing, education, economic and employment outcomes, perceived and objective health, and are less likely to be lonely. Hope is associated with higher resilience, ability to adapt, and internal locus of control. It also serves as a psychological buffer during bad times. Respondents with high levels of hope were less likely to be influenced by negative life events and adapted more quickly and completely after these major events. Better understanding the drivers and consequences of hope can ultimately inform public policy to improve people's lives.
期刊介绍:
This Journal publishes articles on all aspects of health economics: theoretical contributions, empirical studies and analyses of health policy from the economic perspective. Its scope includes the determinants of health and its definition and valuation, as well as the demand for and supply of health care; planning and market mechanisms; micro-economic evaluation of individual procedures and treatments; and evaluation of the performance of health care systems.
Contributions should typically be original and innovative. As a rule, the Journal does not include routine applications of cost-effectiveness analysis, discrete choice experiments and costing analyses.
Editorials are regular features, these should be concise and topical. Occasionally commissioned reviews are published and special issues bring together contributions on a single topic. Health Economics Letters facilitate rapid exchange of views on topical issues. Contributions related to problems in both developed and developing countries are welcome.