Healthcare services and medication use among widowed partners of patients deceased due to cancer - results from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE).
Psychooncology
; 29(8): 1255-1262, 2020 08.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32364627
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
This study aimed to quantify the effect of a cancer death on healthcare and medication use among widowed individuals (Widowed-Cancer), by comparing this population with partnered individuals and with widowed individuals whose partners were deceased due to cardiovascular diseases (Widowed-CVD).METHODS:
Data were retrieved from the Sixth Wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe - SHARE, conducted in 2015, in 18 countries. Widowed-Cancer were matched by country, sex, age and educational level with currently partnered individuals (12; n = 901 and n = 1802, respectively) and with Widowed-CVD (11; n = 606 and n = 606, respectively). Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were computed using logistic regression.RESULTS:
The use of drugs for sleep problems (OR = 1.42, 95%CI1.12-1.80) and anxiety or depression (OR = 1.56, 95%CI1.20-2.03) was more common among Widowed-Cancer than in partnered individuals; a tendency towards higher odds of being hospitalised in the previous year was also observed in Widowed-Cancer (OR = 1.20, 95%CI0.98-1.47). Among participants whose partners were deceased in 2015, Widowed-Cancer were more likely than Widowed-CVD to report ≥10 contacts with medical doctors or nurses in the previous year (OR = 3.32, 95%CI1.20-9.24; P for interaction = .042) and a higher use of drugs for sleep problems (OR = 14.43, 95%CI1.74-119.84; P for interaction = .027).CONCLUSION:
Widowed individuals whose partners were deceased due to cancer had a higher use of healthcare, which highlights the importance of improving the quality of end-of-life care, even during widowhood.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Health context:
11_ODS3_cobertura_universal
/
1_ASSA2030
/
2_ODS3
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Single Parent
/
Attitude to Health
/
Widowhood
/
Health Services Accessibility
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Etiology_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Aspects:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
Limits:
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
En
Journal:
Psychooncology
Year:
2020
Document type:
Article