In previous research carried out in 2016, a study was carried out by the WeCare Chair to learn about the thoughts and feelings about life and death patients had at the end of life after suffering from advanced cancer. The areas studied included a sense of dignity, defined through personal values based on how we see ourselves or how others see us. Advanced age and life-threatening illness often coincide, but until now the way in which a sense of dignity can influence the wish to hasten death can impact this group of patients was unknown.

Based on this premise, researchers Denise Pergolizzi and Iris Crespo led a study that has revealed how old age is a protective factor against a sense of dignity in the context of advanced disease. Entitled “Older age: A protective factor against perceived dignity-related distress in patients with advanced cancer?”, the study, which was recently published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management analysed a sense of dignity and the wish to hasten death among two groups of patients with advanced cancer, one under 65 years of age and one over 65 years of age. The main objective was to examine how age and sense of dignity influence the wish to hasten death among patients with this disease.

“The results obtained reveal an important message for everyone because, despite the negative associations of advanced age such as risk of illness, disability, mental deterioration, or fragility, older patients showed less perceived loss of dignity compared to younger patients.” the researchers said. “In the context of advanced disease, greater life experience becomes a protective factor as it provides more resources to address the situation and adapt our values to what really matters at the end of life.”

Finally, the study also reveals how advanced age and perceived loss of dignity subtly influence the wish to hasten death only when aspects related to physical function are considered. “In that sense, we can prevent a loss of perceived dignity if healthcare professionals adapt care more to physical deterioration as we age,” the authors concluded.