Death anxiety among the oldest old in Germany. Evidence from the nationally representative 'Old Age in Germany (D80+)'
Por:
Hajek A, Jacob L., Pengpid S, Peltzer K, Gyasi RM, Soysal P, Veronese N, Kostev K, Aarabi G and König HH
Publicada:
1 nov 2024
Ahead of Print:
1 oct 2024
Resumen:
BackgroundThere is a lack of studies investigating death anxiety among the oldest old based on a large, nationally representative sample during the pandemic. Thus, our aim was to investigate the prevalence and determinants of death anxiety among the oldest old in Germany during the Covid-19 pandemic. MethodsCross-sectional data were taken from the 'Old Age in Germany' (D80+) study. This is a large, nationwide representative study including individuals 80 years and over living at home and individuals in institutionalised settings (N = 9542 individuals in the analytic sample). ResultsOverall, 30% of the respondents reported the absence of death anxiety, 45.5% reported a rather not strong death anxiety, 20.2% reported a rather strong death anxiety, and 4.3% reported a very strong death anxiety. Linear regressions revealed that higher death anxiety was significantly associated with being female (beta = 0.21, P < 0.01), younger age (beta = -0.02, P < 0.001), being married (beta = 0.09, P < 0.001), high education (compared to low education, beta = 0.07, P < 0.05), the presence of meaning in life (beta = 0.13, P < 0.001), higher loneliness levels (beta = 0.18, P < 0.001), the presence of multimorbidity (beta = 0.07, P < 0.05), and poorer self-rated health (beta = -0.07, P < 0.001). A further analysis showed that probable depression (beta = 0.31, P < 0.001) is also associated with higher death anxiety. ConclusionAbout one in four individuals had a strong or very strong fear of death during the pandemic. Several sociodemographic, psychosocial, and health-related factors are associated with higher death anxiety. This better understanding of the determinants of death anxiety can be relevant for, among others, the affected individuals, informal and professional carers, as well as friends and relatives.
Filiaciones:
Hajek A:
Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Hamburg, Germany
Jacob L.:
AP-HP, Université Paris Cité, Lariboisière-Fernand Widal Hospital, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Paris, France
Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1153, Epidemiology of Ageing and Neurodegenerative Diseases (EpiAgeing), Paris, France
Research and Development Unit, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, CIBERSAM, ISCIII, Barcelona, Spain
Pengpid S:
Department of Health Education and Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Department of Public Health, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa
Department of Healthcare Administration, College of Medical and Health Science, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
Peltzer K:
Department of Health Education and Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Department of Psychology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
Department of Psychology, College of Medical and Health Science, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
Gyasi RM:
African Population and Health Research Centre, Nairobi, Kenya
National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine, Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
Soysal P:
Department of geriatric Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey
Veronese N:
Geriatrics Section, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
Kostev K:
University Hospital Marburg, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
Aarabi G:
Department of Periodontics, Preventive and Restorative Dentistry, Centre for Dental and Oral Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
König HH:
Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Hamburg, Germany
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