Abstract

In this article the author reviews the medical and scientific evidence of the role of cultural participation in the promotion of health in term of premature mortality risk reduction and improvement of subjective wellbeing. The available evidence coming from several studies carried out in different countries in the last twenty years is unanimously converging in favor of an important role played by cultural participation on protracting the duration of life and on the prevention of major chronic degenerative diseases. A special emphasis is given to an Italian study focusing on the impact of cultural participation upon subjective perceptions of well-being on a large sample of Italian residents. This study underlines the relevant role of culture as a determinant of individual psychological well-being, suggesting some innovative public health policies focused upon the human and social developmental role of culture.