Smoking, divorce and heavy drinking are the top three social factors and behaviors most closely associated with premature death, according to a new US-Canadian scientific study. In fact, each of these factors, as well as others, such as financial insecurity and racism, have a greater impact on a person's premature mortality than lack of exercise.
The researchers, led by Assistant Professor Eli Paterman of the University of British Columbia, who published the journal in the journal of the US National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), analyzed data from 1992-2008 for 13.611 adults aged 52 to 104. , and focused on those factors that were most relevant to those who died over the next six years (2008-2014).
Of the 57 factors identified and analyzed, the ten most closely related to death, in order of importance, are: Smoking, Divorce History, Alcohol Abuse History, Recent Financial Difficulties, Unemployment History, Past Smoking History, Low Satisfaction from life, celibacy, a history of extreme poverty (resorting to social meals) and negative emotions.
Smoking almost doubles a person's risk of death within the next six years, while high alcohol consumption increases it by 36% and divorce even more by 45%. Financial difficulties increase the probability of premature death within the next six years by 32%, while lack of physical exercise by only 15%. For an African-American, in particular, because of racism and social discrimination, the risk of premature death is 22% higher than that of a white person.
"We need a life-long approach to really understand health and mortality," said Dr. Paterman, whose study deliberately ignored the biomedical factors that affect life expectancy. highlight the socio-economic and psychological-behavioral dimension.
Source: RES - EIA