Decision-Making Capacity of Elderly Patients with Mixed Depression-Anxiety Disorder

Fonseca, Luís; Monteleone, Francesco; Gonçalves, Andreia; Rêgo, Guilhermina; Nunes, Rui

doi:10.20344/amp.19682

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…Several Portuguese older adults with four years of schooling or less have minimal reading or writing skills, with some only knowing how to sign their name and many unable to perform 'simple' digital tasks like handling a smartphone or texting. [61] In addition, people lose much of their autonomy when they grow old and fragile, being increasingly inclined or forced to leave decisions to others, [62] which may compromise free and informed decisions. Thus, research addressing potential circumstances and factors that might influence a itudes towards euthanasia is of the utmost importance, particularly in older adults.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

<strong></strong>Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of an Attitude about Euthanasia Scale in Portuguese Older Adults with Mixed Anxiety-Depressive Disorder

Fonseca,

Castro,

Gonçalves

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Recently, the Portuguese parliament approved the decriminalisation of euthanasia for incurable illnesses. As the experiences of other countries show us, it will be a matter of time before mental disorders are addressed. Studying the phenomenon, particularly in vulnerable groups, in advance is essential for proper law drafting. Therefore, instruments which allow an objective assessment and comparison between groups must be available. This study aims to explore the validation of Faria's Attitude about Euthanasia scale in Portuguese older adult patients with mixed anxiety-depressive disorder. A sample of 114 older adult patients with mixed anxiety-depressive disorder collected by convenience in the Psychiatry Department of Senhora da Oliveira Hospital in Portugal was included. The pre-final version of the scale was tested in a small group with good results. The validity of the internal structure was analysed using exploratory factorial analysis. The internal consistency study verified reliability. For construct validity, we assessed the correlation with other validated scales measuring attitudes toward euthanasia, cognitive performance, personality and empathy. Attitude about euthanasia scale showed good internal consistency. One factor was retained in the principal component analysis. Significant correlations verified construct validity. The results support the scale's usefulness and validity. This study makes available a unique instrument to assess the overall tendency of the attitudes towards euthanasia in European-Portuguese, which can be used, for example, to compare Portuguese with Brazilian older adult psychiatric patients suffering from the same disorder. Furthermore, the adapted scale paves the way for other cross-cultural translations, adaptations, validations, and comparative analyses.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

<strong></strong>Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of an Attitude about Euthanasia Scale in Portuguese Older Adults with Mixed Anxiety-Depressive Disorder

Fonseca,

Castro,

Gonçalves

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Several Portuguese elderly who have 4 years of schooling or less (in our study, 81.6% of patients and 44% of controls had 4 or fewer years of education) have minimal reading or writing skills, with some only knowing how to sign their name and many not being able to perform ‘simple’ digital tasks (e.g., handling a smartphone or texting). Therefore, there are cognitive limitations that may not be only the result of a mental illness but also of a poor socio-cultural and academic background [ 75 ]. This adds to the problem of the negative influence of depressive and anxiety symptoms on cognitive performance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multidimensional Study of the Attitude towards Euthanasia of Older Adults with Mixed Anxiety-Depressive Disorder

Fonseca,

Castro,

Rêgo

et al. 2024

Healthcare

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Introduction: This study aims to verify if older adults with mixed anxiety-depressive disorder are more prone to euthanasia and identify factors that interfere with their satisfaction with health and capacity for well-informed decisions. Material and Methods: The study applied a paper questionnaire composed of a sociodemographic section and a battery of scales (to assess depression, anxiety, cognitive performance, suicide risk, therapeutic adhesion, functionality, loneliness, attitude towards euthanasia, decision pattern, personality, empathy, and health status) in the Psychogeriatric Unity of Senhora da Oliveira Hospital in Portugal. The sample was collected by convenience to include patients and controls of the same age. Six months later, a reassessment was performed. Patients and controls were compared using descriptive statistics and a multiple-regression model. Results: A total of 114 patients and 25 controls were included. Eighty-one point six percent of patients had four or fewer years of schooling. Contrary to controls, they presented mild depressive and anxiety symptoms, loneliness feelings, worse cognitive performance, a more fragile personality, higher personal distress, and a poorer health state. No statistically significant differences were found between controls and patients regarding their attitudes towards euthanasia. Patients more favourable to euthanasia had higher empathic concern, conscientiousness, and fantasy, and lower personal distress. Discussion and Conclusion: When addressing euthanasia in these patients, it is crucial to ensure they are fully self-determinate and that all the necessary treatment and support are available. It may not be the case when the educational level is low and a mild disease persists, significantly affecting their well-being and cognitive performance.

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“…This is particularly troublesome in older adults, where ageing-related issues, illiteracy, and psychosocial frailties are prominent. Some Portuguese older adults with four years of schooling or less have minimal reading or writing skills, with some only knowing how to sign their name and many unable to perform “simple” digital tasks like handling a smartphone or texting [ 61 ]. In addition, people lose much of their autonomy when they grow old and fragile, being increasingly inclined or forced to leave decisions to others [ 62 ], which may compromise free and informed decisions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of an Attitude about Euthanasia Scale in Portuguese Older Adults with Mixed Anxiety–Depressive Disorder

Fonseca,

Castro,

Gonçalves

et al. 2024

Healthcare

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

On 25 May 2023, the Portuguese parliament approved the decriminalisation of euthanasia for incurable illnesses. As the experiences of other countries show us, it will be a matter of time before mental disorders are addressed. Studying the phenomenon, particularly in vulnerable groups, in advance is essential for proper law drafting. Therefore, instruments that allow an objective assessment and comparison between groups must be available. This study aims to explore the validation of Faria’s attitude about euthanasia scale in Portuguese older adults with mixed anxiety–depressive disorder. A sample of 114 older adults with mixed anxiety–depressive disorder collected by convenience in the Psychiatry Department of Senhora da Oliveira Hospital in Portugal was included. The pre-final version of the scale was tested in a small group with good results. The validity of the internal structure was analysed using exploratory factorial analysis. The internal consistency study verified reliability. For construct validity, we assessed the correlation with other validated scales measuring attitudes toward euthanasia, cognitive performance, personality and empathy. The attitude about euthanasia scale showed good internal consistency. One factor was retained in the principal component analysis. Significant correlations verified construct validity. The results support the scale’s usefulness and validity. This study makes available a unique instrument to assess the overall tendency of the attitudes towards euthanasia from the European-Portuguese perspective, which can be used, for example, to compare Portuguese with Brazilian older adults suffering from the same disorder. Furthermore, the adapted scale paves the way for other cross-cultural translations, adaptations, validations, and comparative analyses.

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Decision-Making Capacity of Elderly Patients with Mixed Depression-Anxiety Disorder

Abstract: N/a.

Cited by 4 publications

References 9 publications

<strong></strong>Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of an Attitude about Euthanasia Scale in Portuguese Older Adults with Mixed Anxiety-Depressive Disorder

<strong></strong>Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of an Attitude about Euthanasia Scale in Portuguese Older Adults with Mixed Anxiety-Depressive Disorder

Multidimensional Study of the Attitude towards Euthanasia of Older Adults with Mixed Anxiety-Depressive Disorder

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of an Attitude about Euthanasia Scale in Portuguese Older Adults with Mixed Anxiety–Depressive Disorder

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