A recent Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article presented evidence that, except among those in one specific profession, our brains seem to be “built for optimism.”1
The Upbeat Brain
According to this article, researchers at New York University have been able to show greater activity in the brain’s rostral anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala — the region the author called “the upbeat brain” — when subjects imagined positive future events.1
Optimistic Outlook
There is also evidence that optimism affects multiple spheres of one’s life. Researchers at Duke have shown that optimists worked longer hours every week, expected to retire later in life, were less likely to smoke, were more likely to remarry when divorced, saved more, had more of their wealth in liquid assets, invested more in individual stocks, and paid credit card bills more promptly.
Not All Good: Balance is Key
There is also evidence to suggest that optimism plays a positive role in health-related outcomes and behaviors. A study by Giltay and colleagues examined the relationship between dispositional optimism, “defined in terms of life engagement and generalized positive outcome expectancies for one’s future,” and risk of cardiovascular death over a 15-year span.2
The study concluded that “men with a low level of dispositional optimism had higher cardiovascular mortality rates compared with men with a high level of dispositional optimism” over a 15-year span. These results were similar to other studies, which have shown that optimism is associated with better health outcomes in patients with ischemic heart disease.
But there is also evidence that that optimism is associated with positive outcomes only to a point. Bränström and colleagues examined the relationship between optimistic bias, people’s tendency to judge their own susceptibility for a disease to be lower than the susceptibility of others, and sun-related behavior.3 According to this study, there is a strong negative association between optimistic bias and perception of likelihood of developing skin cancer. Moreover, this low degree of optimistic bias was associated with believing one has an increased risk of developing skin cancer and worrying about developing skin cancer along with a readiness to change sunbathing behaviors. Therefore, overly optimistic patients may be less likely to change their high-risk behaviors.
Impact of Optimism on Compliance
Another interesting point to consider is how optimism relates to compliance, which has become a very hot topic in dermatology, especially since the somewhat controversial studies by Feldman and colleagues using electronic monitoring system cap monitors to “out” many who misrepresent their adherence to their doctor’s order.4,5 Although data to link compliance and optimism are lacking, I would opine that patient optimism may be related to patient compliance in that many noncompliant patients may be pessimistic about their treatments because they feel like they have already “tried everything.”
Outcomes: The Bottom Line
So, it appears that the right dose of patient optimism has an impact on patients’ treatment outcomes.
I also believe that optimism from both sides of the physician-patient interaction is important. From personal experiences, I have been more optimistic about my care when my physician was optimistic and upbeat about my prognosis and treatment options.
I believe that studies are needed to explore the relationship between compliance and patient optimism.
Just in Case You Wondered
According to the WSJ article, it appears that except among those in one career — yes, it’s lawyers — our brains seem to be built for optimism, and this certainly seems to affect healthcare-related outcomes.
A recent Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article presented evidence that, except among those in one specific profession, our brains seem to be “built for optimism.”1
The Upbeat Brain
According to this article, researchers at New York University have been able to show greater activity in the brain’s rostral anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala — the region the author called “the upbeat brain” — when subjects imagined positive future events.1
Optimistic Outlook
There is also evidence that optimism affects multiple spheres of one’s life. Researchers at Duke have shown that optimists worked longer hours every week, expected to retire later in life, were less likely to smoke, were more likely to remarry when divorced, saved more, had more of their wealth in liquid assets, invested more in individual stocks, and paid credit card bills more promptly.
Not All Good: Balance is Key
There is also evidence to suggest that optimism plays a positive role in health-related outcomes and behaviors. A study by Giltay and colleagues examined the relationship between dispositional optimism, “defined in terms of life engagement and generalized positive outcome expectancies for one’s future,” and risk of cardiovascular death over a 15-year span.2
The study concluded that “men with a low level of dispositional optimism had higher cardiovascular mortality rates compared with men with a high level of dispositional optimism” over a 15-year span. These results were similar to other studies, which have shown that optimism is associated with better health outcomes in patients with ischemic heart disease.
But there is also evidence that that optimism is associated with positive outcomes only to a point. Bränström and colleagues examined the relationship between optimistic bias, people’s tendency to judge their own susceptibility for a disease to be lower than the susceptibility of others, and sun-related behavior.3 According to this study, there is a strong negative association between optimistic bias and perception of likelihood of developing skin cancer. Moreover, this low degree of optimistic bias was associated with believing one has an increased risk of developing skin cancer and worrying about developing skin cancer along with a readiness to change sunbathing behaviors. Therefore, overly optimistic patients may be less likely to change their high-risk behaviors.
Impact of Optimism on Compliance
Another interesting point to consider is how optimism relates to compliance, which has become a very hot topic in dermatology, especially since the somewhat controversial studies by Feldman and colleagues using electronic monitoring system cap monitors to “out” many who misrepresent their adherence to their doctor’s order.4,5 Although data to link compliance and optimism are lacking, I would opine that patient optimism may be related to patient compliance in that many noncompliant patients may be pessimistic about their treatments because they feel like they have already “tried everything.”
Outcomes: The Bottom Line
So, it appears that the right dose of patient optimism has an impact on patients’ treatment outcomes.
I also believe that optimism from both sides of the physician-patient interaction is important. From personal experiences, I have been more optimistic about my care when my physician was optimistic and upbeat about my prognosis and treatment options.
I believe that studies are needed to explore the relationship between compliance and patient optimism.
Just in Case You Wondered
According to the WSJ article, it appears that except among those in one career — yes, it’s lawyers — our brains seem to be built for optimism, and this certainly seems to affect healthcare-related outcomes.
A recent Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article presented evidence that, except among those in one specific profession, our brains seem to be “built for optimism.”1
The Upbeat Brain
According to this article, researchers at New York University have been able to show greater activity in the brain’s rostral anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala — the region the author called “the upbeat brain” — when subjects imagined positive future events.1
Optimistic Outlook
There is also evidence that optimism affects multiple spheres of one’s life. Researchers at Duke have shown that optimists worked longer hours every week, expected to retire later in life, were less likely to smoke, were more likely to remarry when divorced, saved more, had more of their wealth in liquid assets, invested more in individual stocks, and paid credit card bills more promptly.
Not All Good: Balance is Key
There is also evidence to suggest that optimism plays a positive role in health-related outcomes and behaviors. A study by Giltay and colleagues examined the relationship between dispositional optimism, “defined in terms of life engagement and generalized positive outcome expectancies for one’s future,” and risk of cardiovascular death over a 15-year span.2
The study concluded that “men with a low level of dispositional optimism had higher cardiovascular mortality rates compared with men with a high level of dispositional optimism” over a 15-year span. These results were similar to other studies, which have shown that optimism is associated with better health outcomes in patients with ischemic heart disease.
But there is also evidence that that optimism is associated with positive outcomes only to a point. Bränström and colleagues examined the relationship between optimistic bias, people’s tendency to judge their own susceptibility for a disease to be lower than the susceptibility of others, and sun-related behavior.3 According to this study, there is a strong negative association between optimistic bias and perception of likelihood of developing skin cancer. Moreover, this low degree of optimistic bias was associated with believing one has an increased risk of developing skin cancer and worrying about developing skin cancer along with a readiness to change sunbathing behaviors. Therefore, overly optimistic patients may be less likely to change their high-risk behaviors.
Impact of Optimism on Compliance
Another interesting point to consider is how optimism relates to compliance, which has become a very hot topic in dermatology, especially since the somewhat controversial studies by Feldman and colleagues using electronic monitoring system cap monitors to “out” many who misrepresent their adherence to their doctor’s order.4,5 Although data to link compliance and optimism are lacking, I would opine that patient optimism may be related to patient compliance in that many noncompliant patients may be pessimistic about their treatments because they feel like they have already “tried everything.”
Outcomes: The Bottom Line
So, it appears that the right dose of patient optimism has an impact on patients’ treatment outcomes.
I also believe that optimism from both sides of the physician-patient interaction is important. From personal experiences, I have been more optimistic about my care when my physician was optimistic and upbeat about my prognosis and treatment options.
I believe that studies are needed to explore the relationship between compliance and patient optimism.
Just in Case You Wondered
According to the WSJ article, it appears that except among those in one career — yes, it’s lawyers — our brains seem to be built for optimism, and this certainly seems to affect healthcare-related outcomes.
