Skip Navigation

The Gerontologist 1999 39(4):406-416; doi:10.1093/geront/39.4.406
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Lawton, M. P.
Right arrow Articles by Kleban, M. H.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Lawton, M. P.
Right arrow Articles by Kleban, M. H.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 1999 The Gerontological Society of America

Health, Valuation of Life, and the Wish to Live

M. Powell Lawton, PhD1, Miriam Moss, MA2, Christine Hoffman, MA2, Richard Grant, MD3, Thomas Ten Have, PhD4 and Morton H. Kleban, PhD2

2 Polisher Research Institute Philadelphia, PA
3 Albert Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia, PA
4 Center for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA

1 Address correspondence to M. Powell Lawton, Polisher Research Institute, Philadelphia Geriatric Center, 5301 Old York Road, Philadelphia, PA 19141.


  Abstract

This research investigated the relationship of an affective-cognitive schema, valuation of life (VOL), to older people's responses to a set of health utility (years of desired life) questions. Six hundred healthy and chronically ill elders aged 70 and older were interviewed to measure quality of life (QOL), mental health, and VOL Valuation of life was significantly correlated with longer Years of Desired Life under 8 of 10 health conditions when background, health, QOL, and mental health states were controlled. We concluded that VOL is an internal representation of the many positive and negative features of the person and her everyday life that is necessary to comprehend how people may cling to life or welcome its end.

Keywords: Quality of life, Chronic illness, End of life, Mental health

Received July 28, 1998; Accepted April 4, 1999


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J Health PsycholHome page
L. Winter, M. S. Moss, and C. Hoffman
Affective Forecasting and Advance Care Planning: Anticipating Quality of Life in Future Health Statuses
J Health Psychol, April 1, 2009; 14(3): 447 - 456.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 GerontologistHome page
D. Jopp, C. Rott, and F. Oswald
Valuation of Life in Old and Very Old Age: The Role of Sociodemographic, Social, and Health Resources for Positive Adaptation
Gerontologist, October 1, 2008; 48(5): 646 - 658.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Aging HealthHome page
M. S. Moss, C. J. Hoffman, J. Mossey, and M. Rovine
Changes Over 4 Years in Health, Quality of Life, Mental Health, and Valuation of Life
J Aging Health, December 1, 2007; 19(6): 1025 - 1044.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 J Aging HealthHome page
M. J. Karel, J. Moye, A. Bank, and A. R. Azar
Three Methods of Assessing Values for Advance Care Planning: Comparing Persons With and Without Dementia
J Aging Health, February 1, 2007; 19(1): 123 - 151.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 J Aging HealthHome page
M. P. Lawton, M. Moss, C. Hoffman, M. H. Kleban, K. Ruckdeschel, and L. Winter
Valuation of Life: A Concept and a Scale
J Aging Health, February 1, 2001; 13(1): 3 - 31.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.