Abstract
Objective: The study aimed to assess the association between morale and mortality. Design: we used data from the Neurological Disorders in Central Spain (NEDICES), a population-based study. Subjects: 2,516 older persons (mean age 75.7 years) participated in the study. Methods: Cox models were used to estimate risk of mortality. Morale was assessed using the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale. Results: 489 (21.8%) participants died over a median follow-up of 5.9 years (range 0.1-7.7 years), including 253 (21.8%) deaths among 1,163 participants with low morale scores, 168 (19.3%) among 870 participants with moderate scores and 68 (14.1%) among participants with high scores. In an unadjusted Cox model, relative risk (RR) of mortality in participants with low morale scores = 1.69 (P < 0.001) and RR in participants with moderate scores = 1.47 (P < 0.01) were compared to the reference group (participants with high scores). In a Cox model that adjusted for a variety of demographic factors and comorbidities, RR of mortality in participants with low morale scores = 1.35 (P <0.05) and moderate scores = 1.16 (not signicant) were compared to the reference group. Conclusion: low morale may be an independent predictor of mortality in the elderly. By assessing morale, practitioners might be better positioned to identify patients with poorer prognoses.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | afq028 |
Pages (from-to) | 366-373 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Age and Ageing |
Volume | 39 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 17 2010 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Elderly
- Epidemiology
- Morale
- Mortality
- Quality of life
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Aging
- Geriatrics and Gerontology