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01-12-2020 | Original Investigation

Changes in views on aging in later adulthood: the role of cardiovascular events

Authors: Susanne Wurm, Maja Wiest, Julia K. Wolff, Ann-Kristin Beyer, Svenja M. Spuling

Published in: European Journal of Ageing | Issue 4/2020

Abstract

A number of longitudinal studies have pointed to the long-term impact of different views on aging (VoA) on health in later life, whereas the reverse relationship has rarely been examined. Serious cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction or stroke are life-threatening events which might in turn lead to changes in VoA. The present longitudinal study examined the effect of a cardiovascular event (CVE) on VoA over a three-year period using pooled data from three waves of the German Ageing Survey (2008, 2011, 2014, age range: 40–95 years). In order to account for alternative explanations for changes in VoA, individuals without CVE (n = 200) were matched to individuals who experienced a CVE (n = 202) using a propensity score matching procedure. Compared to individuals without CVE, individuals who experienced a CVE showed adverse changes in three VoA indicators (self-perceptions of aging as associated with physical losses/with ongoing development; subjective age). These results suggest that CVE can in fact change how individuals view their own aging. According to previous studies, this can lead to future health changes and thus become a health-related downward spiral. Health promotion programs could, therefore, profit by adding specific VoA interventions for individuals who experienced a CVE.

All following analyses were computed both with this sample (n = 402) and additionally with a reduced sample (n = 400) in which those two individuals were excluded for whom no case-matched control could be identified. Because the analyses came to similar results, we report only the findings for the total sample (n = 402).

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Title: Changes in views on aging in later adulthood: the role of cardiovascular events
Authors: Susanne Wurm
Maja Wiest
Julia K. Wolff
Ann-Kristin Beyer
Svenja M. Spuling
Publication date: 01-12-2020
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: European Journal of Ageing / Issue 4/2020
Print ISSN: 1613-9372
Electronic ISSN: 1613-9380
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-019-00547-5

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Changes in views on aging in later adulthood: the role of cardiovascular events

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Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

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