Do​es Chronic Illness Diagnosis Alter Sense of Purpose in Older Adults?

Disciplines

Geropsychology

Abstract (300 words maximum)

Maintenance of a sense of purpose serves as a psychological resource for late-life health. A strong sense of purpose in older adulthood is associated with a reduction in health incidents (Kim et al., 2013) and mortality, and lower psychological distress (Musich et al., 2018). Limited research has examined whether one’s purpose is threatened by chronic illness diagnoses. This study leverages data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATs; N = 831) to establish trajectories of purpose across three such diagnoses (i.e., dementia, heart disease, no diagnosis) using three-year (pre-diagnosis, year of diagnosis, post-diagnosis) timespans. Results demonstrate a decrease in purpose following a dementia diagnosis (F=9.18, p>.001, n2=.05) which deviates from trajectories of those who received a heart disease diagnosis (F=3.04, p=.05, n2=.006) or no diagnosis (F=1.29, p=.24, n2=.001), where purpose did not change over time. Findings suggest that older adults who receive a dementia diagnosis are vulnerable to a threatened sense of purpose. Interventions that support health priorities navigation and pursuit of purpose despite diagnosis appear to be a priority for dementia care.

Academic department under which the project should be listed

Department of Psychological Sciences

Primary Investigator (PI) Name

Dr. Shubam Sharma

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Do​es Chronic Illness Diagnosis Alter Sense of Purpose in Older Adults?

Maintenance of a sense of purpose serves as a psychological resource for late-life health. A strong sense of purpose in older adulthood is associated with a reduction in health incidents (Kim et al., 2013) and mortality, and lower psychological distress (Musich et al., 2018). Limited research has examined whether one’s purpose is threatened by chronic illness diagnoses. This study leverages data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATs; N = 831) to establish trajectories of purpose across three such diagnoses (i.e., dementia, heart disease, no diagnosis) using three-year (pre-diagnosis, year of diagnosis, post-diagnosis) timespans. Results demonstrate a decrease in purpose following a dementia diagnosis (F=9.18, p>.001, n2=.05) which deviates from trajectories of those who received a heart disease diagnosis (F=3.04, p=.05, n2=.006) or no diagnosis (F=1.29, p=.24, n2=.001), where purpose did not change over time. Findings suggest that older adults who receive a dementia diagnosis are vulnerable to a threatened sense of purpose. Interventions that support health priorities navigation and pursuit of purpose despite diagnosis appear to be a priority for dementia care.