Systematic review on attitudes towards death and dying in adults 50 years and older living in countries with community transmission of COVID-19.
Ageing
COVID-19;Older people
Death anxiety
Systematic review
Journal
Archives of gerontology and geriatrics
ISSN: 1872-6976
Titre abrégé: Arch Gerontol Geriatr
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 8214379
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
07 Jul 2024
07 Jul 2024
Historique:
received:
21
02
2024
revised:
17
06
2024
accepted:
07
07
2024
medline:
21
7
2024
pubmed:
21
7
2024
entrez:
20
7
2024
Statut:
aheadofprint
Résumé
The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored older adults' vulnerability to severe illness or death. Increased public awareness of mortality, with daily reminders of preventive measures, spurred interest in understanding the impact on death-related thoughts. This systematic review analyses existing literature on death attitudes among individuals aged 50 and older during the COVID-19 pandemic and focuses on associated factors. A systematic literature search was conducted using the WHO COVID database without any language limit, up until April 2023. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO and PRISMA guidelines were followed. Included studies were systematically analysed and summarized using a predefined data extraction sheet. Of the 2297 studies identified, 9 met inclusion criteria. The review showed moderate to high levels of death anxiety during the pandemic, linked to direct health risks from COVID-19 rather than mitigation measures. The impact of health and personal factors on older people's death anxiety was complex, with a range of health and personal factors such as chronic conditions, loss of capacity, loneliness, occupation, and resilience associated with it, suggesting potential intervention avenues. The systematic review shows a significant link between COVID-19 and heightened death anxiety among individuals aged 50 and above. Negative attitudes to death can harm physical and mental health, diminish life satisfaction, increase avoidance behaviour, impair coping mechanism and undermine end-of-life decision making. Findings underscore the need for further research into risk and protective factors (personal, health, and environmental) and the importance of standardized data collection to guide interventions and public health strategies aimed at mitigating death anxiety.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored older adults' vulnerability to severe illness or death. Increased public awareness of mortality, with daily reminders of preventive measures, spurred interest in understanding the impact on death-related thoughts. This systematic review analyses existing literature on death attitudes among individuals aged 50 and older during the COVID-19 pandemic and focuses on associated factors.
METHODS
METHODS
A systematic literature search was conducted using the WHO COVID database without any language limit, up until April 2023. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO and PRISMA guidelines were followed. Included studies were systematically analysed and summarized using a predefined data extraction sheet.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Of the 2297 studies identified, 9 met inclusion criteria. The review showed moderate to high levels of death anxiety during the pandemic, linked to direct health risks from COVID-19 rather than mitigation measures. The impact of health and personal factors on older people's death anxiety was complex, with a range of health and personal factors such as chronic conditions, loss of capacity, loneliness, occupation, and resilience associated with it, suggesting potential intervention avenues.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
The systematic review shows a significant link between COVID-19 and heightened death anxiety among individuals aged 50 and above. Negative attitudes to death can harm physical and mental health, diminish life satisfaction, increase avoidance behaviour, impair coping mechanism and undermine end-of-life decision making. Findings underscore the need for further research into risk and protective factors (personal, health, and environmental) and the importance of standardized data collection to guide interventions and public health strategies aimed at mitigating death anxiety.
Identifiants
pubmed: 39032313
pii: S0167-4943(24)00249-8
doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2024.105573
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Review
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
105573Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Declaration of competing interest The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.