Table 3.
Health Outcomes Associated with Purpose in Life Levels
| PIL | P | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regression-adjusted estimates | Low | Medium | High | Medium vs. low | High vs. low |
| Health care utilization | |||||
| Inpatient admissions (annual) | 16.8% | 13.5% | 12.5% | <0.0001 | <0.0001 |
| Emergency room visits (annual) | 32.8% | 30.3% | 28.7% | 0.02 | <0.0001 |
| Health care expenditures | |||||
| Medical (pmpm) | $1288 | $1043 | $870 | <0.0001 | <0.0001 |
| Drug (pmpm) | $269 | $250 | $194 | 0.33 | <0.0001 |
| Preventive services | |||||
| Care pattern (% compliant) | 19.6 | 21.1 | 23.3 | 0.14 | <0.0001 |
| Medication adherence (% compliant) | 64.5 | 70.2 | 71.6 | 0.003 | <0.0001 |
| QOL (VR-12) | |||||
| PCS | 39.0 | 43.1 | 46.0 | <0.0001 | <0.0001 |
| MCS | 47.4 | 54.0 | 57.8 | <0.0001 | <0.0001 |
MCS, mental component score; PCS, physical component score; PIL, purpose in life; pmpm, per member per month; QOL, quality of life; VR-12, Veterans RAND 12-Item QOL scale.