Table 1.

Demographic, Behavioral and Biological Characteristics of Study Population by Categories of Optimism Measures, Adjusted for Age, Race, Sex, MESA 2000–2002

Optimism Measure	Mean Score	Mean Age, y	% Female	% White	Mean Income, $	Mean Education Y	Physical Activity, met-min/wk	% Current Smokers	Prudent Diet Quartile	Mean BMI	% DM	% HTN	% Recent Infection	% Using Medication
Full sample (n=6195)		62.2	53	38	48851	13.04	1553	13	2.03	28.34	13	45	22	53
LOT-R	19.9
Quartile 1	15.7	62	53	40	44842	12.7	1515	15	1.93	28.44	14	45	22	52
Quartile 2	20.1	61.5	51	41	50900	13.42	1609	13	2.01	28.32	12	42	23	53
Quartile 3	22.5	61.9	53	44	55785	13.84	1600	11	2.13	28.37	10	45	22	55
Quartile 4	24	62.7	53	31	50811	12.99	1573	10	2.15	27.85	10	44	24	53
P for trend		0.044	0.78	0.002	0.002	0.002	0.61	0.001	0.002	0.02	0.001	0.58	0.348	0.329
Optimism Subscale	10
Quartile 1	6.8	61.8	54	48	47161	12.94	1400	15	1.95	28.37	13	43	22	53
Quartile 2	9.5	61.5	51	46	53895	13.66	1635	13	2.07	28.24	11	42	23	55
Quartile 3	11	61.7	53	38	53013	13.54	1648	12	2.03	28.61	13	45	22	54
Quartile 4	12	62.7	51	29	46618	12.78	1590	11	2.06	28.11	11	46	23	52
P for trend		0.001	0.21	0.001	0.008	0.33	0.02	0.004	0.10	0.09	0.29	0.03	0.77	0.222
Pessimism Subscale	5.1
Quartile 1	3	62.6	54	42	55365	13.49	1619	11	2.14	27.99	10	42	23	55
Quartile 2	4	61.2	52	43	54227	13.91	1540	11	2.1	28.49	10	45	23	56
Quartile 3	5.5	61.7	51	40	46701	12.97	1613	14	1.98	28.34	13	44	22	52
Quartile 4	8.3	61.9	53	34	42901	12.56	1478	15	1.89	28.54	15	47	23	51
P for trend		0.022	0.35	0.001	0.002	0.002	0.26	0.001	0.002	0.008	0.002	0.01	0.882	0.012