Presentation by Dorota WEZIAK-BIALOWOLSKA (Ph.D., dr hab.), a research scientist at the Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. School of Public Health and research fellow at the Human Flourishing Program at the Institute of Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University during the meeting held in virtual format entitled, "Cultural participation and local resilience: Strategies for the recovery" from 1-3 December 2020 as part of the CULTURE, CREATIVE SECTORS AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT Policy webinar series. Providing evidence and guidance to cities and regions on ways to maximize the economic and social impact of culture and support the creative economy. Dorota WEZIAK-BIALOWOLSKA (Ph.D., dr hab.) is a research scientist at the Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. School of Public Health and research fellow at the Human Flourishing Program at the Institute of Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University.

1. Title text
(Cover Option 4)
POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, POSITIVE HEALTH, POSITIVE EPIDEMIOLOGY
Traditional approach: Ill-health prevention and health risk-mitigation
Shift of focus: Identification and promotion of positive stimuli and health
assets  beneficial to health, longevity, well-being and resilience even under
unfavorable conditions
• Social factors – e.g., better social integration  longevity and healthy life
expectancy
• Psychological factors/affectivity – e.g., a sense of purpose in life  reduced
risk of a cardiovascular disease
• Behavioral factors
I. Morally right and just behaviors  reduced risk of depression
II. Religious service attendance  reduced risk of suicide
III. Arts engagement (receptive and participatory)

2. Receptive arts engagement
(e.g., going to the theatre, concerts, opera, museums, art galleries, and exhibitions)
• Older adults who engaged with receptive arts activities
I. on an infrequent basis (once or twice a year) had a 14% lower risk
of dying
II. on a frequent basis (every few months or more often) had a 31% lower
risk of dying
• Adults who engage in with receptive arts activities frequently were found to be
less likely to die of cancer than those less frequent attendees

3. Participatory/active arts engagement
(e.g., singing, dancing, participating in theatre activities)
• Online group singing for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
(COPD) may deliver benefits related to reducing depression
• Active theatre participation [to stage a character, to play out “manners”
(behaviors) and “appearances” (dress and look)]  significantly improves social
well-being and social psychology outcomes (e.g., empathic abilities,
communication, tolerance, and interpersonal interactions)
• Dance movement therapy decreases depression and anxiety and increases
quality of life and interpersonal and cognitive skills

4. Arts engagement Health & Survival
Emotional & Social Well-being
DIRECT AND INDIRECT CHANNEL
OF ARTS ENGAGMENT ON HEALTH AND SURVIVAL
Data
• Survey data linked with medical records/administrative records
• Randomized controlled trials (RCT) and meta-analyses of RCTs

5. Selected references
Bygren LO, et al. (2009) Attending cultural events and cancer mortality: A Swedish cohort study. Arts
Health 1(1):64–73.
Fancourt D, Steptoe A (2019) The art of life and death: 14 year follow-up analyses of associations
between arts engagement and mortality in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. BMJ 367.
doi:10.1136/bmj.l6377.
Grossi E, Tavano Blessi G, Sacco PL (2019) Magic Moments: Determinants of Stress Relief and
Subjective Wellbeing from Visiting a Cultural Heritage Site. Cult Med Psychiatry 43(1):4–24
Keir A, et al. (2020) Moving Singing for Lung Health online : experience from a randomised controlled
trial. BMJ Open Respir Res 7:e000737.
Koch SC, et al. (2019) Effects of dance movement therapy and dance on health-related psychological
outcomes. A meta-analysis update. Front Psychol 10(AUG). doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01806.
Lewandowska K, Weziak-Bialowolska D (2019) The impact of theatre on social psychology outcomes:
a systematic review and meta-analyses. Harvard University Working Paper
Stano PM, Węziak-Białowolska D (2017) Measuring Cultural and Creative Activities in European Cities:
Challenges and Practical Problems with Existing Indices. Creat Res J 29(3):292–303.
VanderWeele TJ, et al. (2020) Positive Epidemiology? Epidemiology 31(2):189–193.
Weziak-Bialowolska D, Bialowolski P, Vanderweele TJ, McNeely E (2020) Character strengths
involving an orientation to promote good can help your health and well-being. Evidence from two
longitudinal studies. Am J Heal Promot:1–11.