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). Issue 8 (2nd July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Costa, Ana Rute; Alves, Luís; Lunet, Nuno
• Is Part Of: Psycho-oncology. Volume 29:Issue 8(2020)
• Page Start: 1255
• Page End: 1262
• Publication Date: 2020-07-02
• Subjects: cancer -- family -- healthcare surveys -- oncology -- widowhood; Cancer -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Neoplasms -- psychology -- Periodicals; 616.9940019
• DOI: 10.1002/pon.5400
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1057-9249

Abstract

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 (1:2; n = 901 and n = 1802, respectively) and with Widowed‐CVD (1:1; 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%CI:1.12‐1.80) and anxiety or depression (OR = 1.56, 95%CI:1.20‐2.03) 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%CI:0.98‐1.47). 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%CI:1.20‐9.24; P for interaction = .042) and a higher use of drugs for sleep problems (OR = 14.43, 95%CI:1.74‐119.84; 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.