Quality of life and attitudes towards ageing among older adults

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Quality of life and attitudes towards ageing among older adults with and without anxiety disorders

• IRAS ID

  209497

• Contact name

  Hope Westgate

• Contact email

  h.westgate@uea.ac.uk

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 0 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Quality of life and attitudes towards ageing among older adults with and without anxiety disorders

  Attitudes towards ageing refers to peoples beliefs about the physical, social, and psychological changes associated with ageing. Research indicates that older adults have positive attitudes towards ageing (Bryant et al., 2012). It has been found, however, that older adults with mental health problems, such as depression, have negative attitudes towards ageing (Chachamovich, Fleck, Laidlaw, & Power, 2008). No study has yet established whether anxiety disorders among older adults are related to attitudes towards ageing and quality of life. This study therefore aims to understand attitudes towards ageing and quality of life among older adults with anxiety disorders compared to those without.

  In order to investigate this, older adults with anxiety disorders will be asked to fill in questionnaires regarding attitudes towards ageing, quality of life, anxiety and depression. This study will compare older adults drawn from the community (without known mental health problems) to those from mental health services with anxiety disorders to see if they score differently on measures of attitudes towards ageing and quality of life. The results of this study have the potential to inform psychological treatments for older adults with anxiety disorders.

  References
  Bryant, C., Bei, B., Gilson, K., Komiti, A., Jackson, H., & Judd, F. (2012). The relationship between attitudes to aging and physical and mental health in older adults. International Psychogeriatrics, 24(10), 1674-1683. doi: 10.1017/S1041610212000774

  Chachamovich, E., Fleck, M., Laidlaw, K., & Power, M. (2008). Impact of major depression and subsyndromal symptoms on quality of life and attitudes toward aging in an international sample of older adults. The Gerontologist, 48(5), 593-602. doi: 10.1093/geront/48.5.593

• REC name

  West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  17/WM/0037

• Date of REC Opinion

  31 Jan 2017

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion