Preferred life expectancy and the association with hypothetical adverse life scenarios among Norwegians aged 60+

Background

how long older individuals prefer to live given hypothetical adverse changes in health and living conditions has been insufficiently studied.

Objectives

the objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between six adverse health and living conditions and preferred life expectancy (PLE) after the age of 60 years.

Design

cross-sectional face-to-face interviews.

Setting

population-based sample.

Participants

825 community dwellers aged 60 years and older in Norway.

Methods

logistic regression models were used to analyse PLE, measured with a single question: ‘If you could choose freely, until what age would you wish to live?’ The impact on PLE of several hypothetical scenarios, such as being diagnosed with dementia, spousal death, becoming a burden, poverty, loneliness and chronic pain was analysed by age, sex, education, marital status, cognitive function, self-reported loneliness and chronic pain.

Results

average PLE was 91.4 years (95% CI 90.9, 92.0), and there was no difference between men and women, but those at older ages had higher PLE than those at younger ages. The scenarios that had the strongest negative effects on PLE were dementia, followed by chronic pain, being a burden to society, loneliness, poverty and losing one’s spouse. PLE among singles was not affected by the prospect of feeling lonely. The higher educated had lower PLE for dementia and chronic pain.

Conclusion

among Norwegians 60+, the desire to live into advanced ages is significantly reduced by hypothetical adverse life scenarios, with the strongest effect caused by dementia and chronic pain.