STOCKHOLM — Trust in America is on the decline, and it may be preventing many people from living longer lives. A new study finds that people who are more trusting of others tend to have longer lifespans than those mired in suspicion.

Researchers from Stockholm University and Lund University turned to data from a nationally representative survey of more than 25,000 Americans between 1978 and 2010 for their work. Participants took part in the U.S. General Social Survey between, which measured individuals’ levels of trust through questions such as, “Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted, or that you cannot be too careful in dealing with other people?”