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To Live or Die: What to Wish at 100 Years and Older

dc.contributor.authorAraújo, Lia
dc.contributor.authorTeixeira, Laetitia
dc.contributor.authorAfonso, Rosa Marina
dc.contributor.authorRibeiro, Oscar
dc.date.accessioned2021-09-14T13:52:57Z
dc.date.available2021-09-14T13:52:57Z
dc.date.issued2021
dc.description.abstractPrevious research has shown that will to live is a strong predictor for survival among older people, irrespective of age, gender, and comorbidities. However, research on whether life at age 100 is perceived as worth living is limited. The available literature has presented evidence for good levels of positive attitudes and life satisfaction at such an advanced age, but it has also suggested that a longing for death is common. This study aimed to add to the existing data on this matter by exploring centenarians’ will to live and the associated factors. The sample comprised 121 centenarians (mean age, 101 years; SD, 1.63 years), 19 (15.7%) of whom were males, from two centenarian studies (PT100). Answers to open questions were analyzed to identify the centenarians’ will to live and the reasons behind it. Three groups were created (willing to live longer, not willing to live longer, no clear positioning) and further analyzed in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, health status, social functioning, and well-being. Of the total sample, 31.4% expressed willingness to live longer, 30.6% did not, and 38% presented no clear positioning. The presence of the Catholic religion (God) was referred for centenarians in all three groups. Annoyance, uselessness, loss of meaning, disconnection, and loneliness were the most common justifications for being reluctant to live longer. Positive valuation of life and good self-rated health, followed by having a confidant and reduced pain frequency, were the factors associated with being willing to live longer. The results of the study contribute to the understanding of the psychological functioning of individuals with exceptional longevity, particularly concerning the factors behind willingness to live at such an advanced age.pt_PT
dc.description.versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionpt_PT
dc.identifier.doi10.3389/fpsyg.2021.726621pt_PT
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.19/6808
dc.language.isoengpt_PT
dc.peerreviewedyespt_PT
dc.subjectwiil to livept_PT
dc.subjectcentenarianspt_PT
dc.titleTo Live or Die: What to Wish at 100 Years and Olderpt_PT
dc.typejournal article
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.citation.titleFrontiers in Psychologypt_PT
oaire.citation.volume12pt_PT
person.familyNameAraújo
person.givenNameLia
person.identifier.ciencia-idF815-5880-A50A
person.identifier.orcid0000-0001-8212-9235
person.identifier.scopus-author-id55292773700
rcaap.rightsopenAccesspt_PT
rcaap.typearticlept_PT
relation.isAuthorOfPublicationb80249c1-0b65-4dc5-aa3d-002455aec9d9
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscoveryb80249c1-0b65-4dc5-aa3d-002455aec9d9

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