Distinctions between depression and anxiety with fear of being a burden in late life

• Published in: Aging & mental health Vol. 26; no. 12; pp. 2366 - 2371
• Main Authors: Alfaro, Ana Jessica, Carlson, Chalise, Segal, Daniel L., Gould, Christine E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Routledge 02.12.2022; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Aged; Anxiety; Anxiety - diagnosis; Anxiety - epidemiology; Anxiety Disorders; Depression - epidemiology; Fear; Fear & phobias; Fear of being a burden; Geriatric psychiatry; Health status; Humans; late-life anxiety; late-life depression; Logistic Models; Mental depression; older adults; Older people; Risk factors; Risk perception; Suicide; Symptoms; older adults; late-life depression; Fear of being a burden; late-life anxiety
• ISSN: 1360-7863; 1364-6915
• DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2021.1993131

Objectives: The perception of being a burden is a well-known risk factor for dying by suicide. Research on factors that precede the state of perceived burdensomeness, such as fearing being a burden, is necessary. We investigated the extent to which health status, elevated depressive symptoms, and elevated anxiety symptoms are associated with fear of being a burden in late life. Method: Older adult participants (N = 155) completed the Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8), and demographic and health questions. Fear of being a burden, assessed with a supplemental item on the GAS, was categorically grouped as 'no fear' or 'some fear'. Using logistic regression, we examined predictors of fear of being a burden. Results: In the first step, elevated depression was associated with fear of being a burden (OR = 2.30, 95% CI: 1.09, 4.89, p = .03), but health status was not significant. In the second step, elevated anxiety was significant (OR = 2.63, 95% CI: 1.15, 5.99, p = .02); depression was no longer significant. Conclusion: Contrary to expectations, anxiety more strongly predicted fear of being a burden than depression. Future research should further investigate the role of anxiety in fear of being a burden and ways of intervening.