How widowhood status relates to engagement in advance care planning among older adults: does race/ethnicity matter?. (4th March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Choi, Shinae L.; Shin, Su Hyun; Allen, Rebecca S.
• Is Part Of: Aging & mental health. Volume 26:Number 3(2022)
• Page Start: 604
• Page End: 613
• Publication Date: 2022-03-04
• Subjects: Advance care planning -- advance directives -- widowhood -- race/ethnicity; Older people -- Mental health -- Periodicals; Geriatric psychiatry -- Periodicals; Older people -- Psychology -- Periodicals; Aging -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Aged -- psychology -- periodicals; Mental Health -- periodicals; Mental Health Services -- periodicals; Aging -- psychology -- periodicals; Aged, 80 and over -- psychology -- periodicals; 618.97689
• DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2020.1867823
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1360-7863

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: This study investigated whether and to what extent widowhood status is related to engagement in advance care planning (ACP), and further whether race/ethnicity moderated the relation. Methods: We analyzed a total of 11, 257 older Americans from the Health and Retirement Study using random-effect regression models after controlling for covariates and year-fixed effects. Results: We found that both being a widow/widower ever and having been widowed for a longer period of time were associated with a higher probability of engagement in ACP. Specifically, we found that a one-year increase in the number of years since spousal death was associated with 1.02 ( p < 0.05, 95% CI = 1.00, 1.03) changes in the odds ratios of informal ACP; however, inclusion of a quadratic term indicated that this association reversed after the peak. Moreover, our findings suggested a moderating effect of race/ethnicity on the relations of the length of time since spousal loss with engagement in ACP. Specifically, the odds of widowed non-Hispanic Blacks discussing with someone the care or medical treatment (informal ACP) and having a living will (formal ACP) were 0.96 ( p < 0.05, 95% CI = 0.93, 1.00) and 0.88 ( p < 0.05, 95% CI = 0.79, 0.97) times that of non-widowed non-Hispanic Whites. Compared with their non-Hispanic White counterparts, widowed non-Hispanic Blacks were less likely to engage in ACP, and the negative relations were exacerbated when they became widows/widowers. Conclusion: We elaborated on these findings and discussed their implications for understanding the moderating effect of race/ethnicity on the relation between late‐life widowhood and engagement in ACP. In order to develop programs that enhance engagement in ACP and reduce racial/ethnic disparities, research must incorporate intersectionality theory with attention to motivations and decision-making style among diverse widows/widowers. The findings from this study could help inform policy makers when developing public health programs and health care reimbursement programs that enhance engagement in ACP among widows/widowers.