Supporting Medical Data

The SafetyNet Project

Supporting Medical Data

Numerous scientific studies over the last few decades have demonstrated the positive impact of love and intimacy (the "Roseto Effect") on prolongation of life, survival rates of people diagnosed with serious illness and slowdown or prevention of the recurrence of disease. These studies, conducted in different parts of the world under varied conditions, include the following findings (see Ornish, "Love & Survival", Chapter 2):

The Roseto Study: Strong family ties and community relationships were credited with low rates of illness and disease, including myocardial infarction, in an Italian-American town (Roseto, Pennsylvania). Egolf B., J. Lasker, S. Wolf and L. Potvin, "Featuring Health Risks and mortality: the Roseto effect: a 50 year comparison of mortality rates." American Journal of Public Health, 1992 82(8):1089-92.

The Alameda Study, California Dept. of Health Services: Strong social relationships positively affect health and longevity of 900+ women diagnosed with breast cancer, those without emotional support had almost twice the death rate of those with close ties; the general population showed a 2 to 3 times greater likelihood of premature death from all causes for those lacking appreciable community or family support. Marshall. J. R. and D. B. Funch, "Social environment and breast cancer: A cohort analysis of patient survival." Cancer, 1983, 52:(8):1546-50.

The University of Texas Medical School Study: a study of patients undergoing elective open-heart surgery found that those who did not participate regularly in organized social groups or embrace spiritual or religious beliefs were 3 to 4 times more likely to die after the procedure. Oxman, T. E., D.H. Freeman, Jr., and E.D. Manheimer, "Lack of social participation or religious strength and comfort as risk factors for death after cardiac surgery in the elderly." Psychosomatic Medicine, 1995, 57:5-15.

The Amsterdam Study: of 2800 Dutch citizens, ages 55 through 85, studied for two and a half years, those who considered themselves to be part of a loving and supportive group cut their death rate by half. Penninx, B.W., T. van Tilburg. D. M. Kriegsman, et al. "Effects of social support and personal coping resources on mortality in older age: the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam." American Journal of Epidemiology, 1997, 140(6):510-19.

In sum, scientific studies have shown that people who have loving friends and family experience increased rates of survival in even the most fatal disease groups.

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