A Case Western Reserve University survey of nearly 400,000 patients 65 and older found that they valued continuing social activities with their friends over other considerations when making decisions about their healthcare.

The findings were unexpected, said Mary Dolansky, study co-leader and professor in the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing.

"We were surprised, I think, because we figured they would say [maintaining their physical] health, right? They're in a healthcare clinic to get something fixed," she said. "But it wasn't. It was really that they want to stay active and be socially active."

The research, published in the October 6 issue of JAMA Network Open , surveyed 388,000 people across 35 states, asking, "what matters most to you" when determining healthcare priorities

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