Attitudes Toward Aging Among Patients With Upper Extremity Illness

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Psychology
• Health Sciences

Background:

• Adaptive attitudes toward aging may reduce symptom intensity and functional limitations.
• Investigated factors associated with aging perceptions and their relation to health outcomes.
• Explored a brief version of the Brief Aging Perceptions Questionnaire (B-APQ).

Purpose of the Study:

• Identify factors linked to attitudes toward aging.
• Examine the relationship between age-related disease and limitations, pain, satisfaction, and questionnaire comfort.
• Validate a short form of the B-APQ.

Main Methods:

• 161 upper extremity patients completed B-APQ and other health questionnaires.
• Multivariable linear regression models were used for association testing.
• Assessed construct validity, internal consistency, and floor/ceiling effects of a short B-APQ.

Main Results:

• White race, retired status, comorbidities, and catastrophic thinking were linked to less positive aging perceptions.
• Coping strategies, not aging attitudes, explained variations in limitations and pain intensity.
• A 4-question B-APQ demonstrated acceptable performance.

Conclusions:

• Adaptive aging attitudes correlate with psychological and social determinants of health.
• A validated 4-item B-APQ is proposed for brief assessment of aging attitudes.
• Interventions targeting nociception and catastrophic thinking may aid adaptation to aging.