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Coping and health in older adults

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Abstract

Although coping has been shown to influence physical health in younger populations, whether coping affects health in older adults appears to depend upon how coping and health are conceptualized. This article reviews recent literature on coping and health in older adults in three areas. First, we discuss coping’s distinct relevance to health in older adults. Second, we describe ways in which coping may differ between older and younger populations. Third, we detail recent and notable findings of coping’s specific effects on biomedical health and health in general. The recent literature suggests that coping may be a developmental and multifaceted process. Positive coping strategies may have positive and even protective effects on health, whereas negative strategies may have negative effects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2515 Campus Road, Miller Hall #201C, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA

    Loriena A. Yancura

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  1. Loriena A. Yancura
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  2. Carolyn M. Aldwin
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Correspondence to Loriena A. Yancura.

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Yancura, L.A., Aldwin, C.M. Coping and health in older adults. Curr Psychiatry Rep 10, 10–15 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-008-0004-7

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