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Thoughts about death and perceived health status in elderly patients with heart failure
Author(s) -
Strömberg Anna,
Jaarsma Tiny
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
european journal of heart failure
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.149
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1879-0844
pISSN - 1388-9842
DOI - 10.1016/j.ejheart.2008.04.011
Subject(s) - medicine , depression (economics) , anxiety , heart failure , fear of death , death anxiety , gerontology , psychiatry , economics , macroeconomics
Aim To explore thoughts about death and perceived health status in elderly patients with heart failure during a 6month period after a deterioration needing hospitalisation. Methods A descriptive, mixed methods design was used. Health was measured with EuroQol‐5D, thoughts about death with multiple choice and open questions. A total of 145 patients with New York Heart Association class II–IV heart failure, mean age 70 years, 70% males, were included. Results During deterioration, 16% of the patients were afraid of dying and 4% had this fear very often. Fear of death did not change significantly during the 6 months after deterioration. Both during deterioration ( r =0.26, P <0.01) and 6months later ( r =0.40, P <0.001), fear of death and anxiety/depression were correlated. Content analysis of the open question produced 5 categories: (1) Death as a natural part of life; (2) Death as a relief from symptoms and disability (3) Death as fearful (4) Arrangements for time after death (5) A wish for an extended life. Conclusion Elderly patients with heart failure had a lot of thoughts about death. Higher levels of anxiety/depression were correlated to fear of death. Many expressed death as a natural relief from suffering, others were afraid of pain, loss of independence and dignity.