This profile reports findings from the Culture and the Arts module of the 2014 Health and Retirement Study (HRS). The HRS is a biennial, longitudinal study of older Americans’ economic, health, marital, and family status. The Culture and the Arts module of this study focuses on older adults’ attitudes and behaviors related to Creating Art (e.g. singing, playing an instrument, or dancing) and Attending Art (e.g. attending a concert or art museum.)

The following graphic illustrates the different health outcomes associated with older adults (aged 55 years and over) who either Created Art or Attended Art, both Created and Attended Art, or did neither activity type. The results are purely descriptive, and have not been adjusted for other health factors or for socio-demographic characteristics.

To learn how cognitive abilities, cardiovascular health, and physical functioning are variously associated with arts participation patterns, click on the respective segments of the graphic below.