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Exploring the occurrence and the risk factors of the desire for hastened death and depression in people with early-stage dementia in Greece

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2023

Sotiria Kostopoulou ,
Athina Pinelopi Varveri ,
Maria Nikoloudi ,
Eleni Tsilika ,
Efi Parpa ,
Anna Zygogianni  and
Kyriaki Mystakidou Open the ORCID record for Kyriaki Mystakidou [Opens in a new window]
Sotiria Kostopoulou
Affiliation:
Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit, Aretaieion Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
Athina Pinelopi Varveri
Affiliation:
One Day Clinic Chemotherapy, Eugenideio Hospital, Athens, Greece
Maria Nikoloudi
Affiliation:
Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit, Aretaieion Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
Eleni Tsilika
Affiliation:
Health Psychologist, Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit, Aretaieion Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
Efi Parpa
Affiliation:
Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit, Aretaieion Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
Anna Zygogianni
Affiliation:
Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiology, Areteion Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
Kyriaki Mystakidou*
Affiliation:
Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit, Aretaieion Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
*
Corresponding author: Kyriaki Mystakidou; Email: mistakidou@yahoo.com
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Abstract

Objectives

To assess the factors associated with desire for hastened death and depression in early-stage dementia as well as the association between them. Also, to explore the mediator and moderator role of age in the relationship between depression and desire for hasten death.

Methods

A prospective cross-sectional study including 100 patients diagnosed with early-stage dementia from a rehabilitation center between December 2018 and July 2019. Measurement tools used were the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Greek Montreal Cognitive Assessment, the Greek Schedule of Attitudes toward Hastened Death, and the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 item. Patients diagnosed with dementia as a result of Stroke history were excluded.

Results

Factors of multifactorial analysis significantly associated with desire for hastened death were as follows: age (p = 0.009), marital status (p = 0.001), and depression (p < 0.001). The factor significantly associated with depression was age (p = 0.001). Also, a mediation/moderation analysis has shown that depression and age are significant predictors of desire for hasten death.

Significance of results

The desire for hastened death and depression in people diagnosed with early-stage dementia includes many components. Younger patients, men, higher educated patients, single, childless, and those with higher depression scores had higher desire for hastened death, while men and older patients had higher scores of desire for depression. Our study provides important information about the desire for hastened death and depression in early-stage dementia, their risk factors, and their association.

Keywords

Early-stage dementiaAlzheimerCognitive impairmentDesire for hastened deathDepression
Type
Original Article
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 22 , Issue 2 , April 2024 , pp. 265 - 273
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press.

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