`Wish to die' is independently associated with cardiovascular mortality in later life. Data from TILDA
Citation:
Inas Ragab and Mark Ward and David Moloney and Rose Anne Kenny and Robert Briggs, `Wish to die' is independently associated with cardiovascular mortality in later life. Data from TILDA, International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2021Download Item:
Abstract:
Background: There is an established bidirectional relationship between mental and
heart health in later life but the link between wish to die (WTD) and cardiovascular
mortality is less well‐defined.
Methods: This is a longitudinal study examining the association between WTD and
mortality over 9‐year follow‐up in a large population‐representative sample of older
adults. Individual‐level survey data was linked to official death registration data,
divided into cardiovascular and noncardiovascular causes. WTD was defined as
answering affirmatively when asked ‘In the last month, have you felt that you would
rather be dead?’ Regression models were used to obtain hazard ratios for the as-
sociation between WTD at Wave 1 and mortality. Kaplan–Meier plots were used to
compare survival across groups.
Results: Just over 3% (275/8124) of participants reported WTD. Mortality data was
available for 9% of participants (755/8124). WTD was significantly associated with
all‐cause mortality, with a hazard ratio of 1.41 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00–
1.99). Findings were attenuated and no longer significant after excluding partici-
pants with heart disease or depression/anxiety/other psychiatric illness. WTD was
significantly associated with cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio: 2.14 [95% CI:
1.21–3.78]), even after excluding participants with depression/anxiety/other ill-
nesses but not heart disease. WTD was not associated with an increased risk of
death due to non‐cardiovascular causes.
Conclusions: Older people who report a wish to die have double the risk of death
from cardiovascular disease in the following 9 years, even when those with
depression, anxiety or other mental health problems are excluded.
Author's Homepage:
http://people.tcd.ie/rkennyDescription:
PUBLISHED
Author: Kenny, Rose
Type of material:
Journal ArticleCollections
Series/Report no:
International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry;Availability:
Full text availableDOI:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/gps.5550Metadata
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