Living Too Long? Exploring Attitudes Toward Reaching 100 Years Old

Abstract

Objective This study analyses the relationship between pro- and anti-longevity attitudes, attitudes toward centenarians, and the wish to reach 100 years of age in a sample of community dwelling older adults. Methods Participants ( N = 137) completed a questionnaire on attitudes toward life-extension and an aging semantic differential using centenarians as an attitudinal target. Sociodemographic information, perceived health status, and information on knowing a centenarian were also obtained. A cluster analysis was used to identify subgroups (leaning anti-longevity group vs. leaning prolongevity group), and their associations with personal attributes were tested using logistic regression models. Results Most respondents said they would wish to reach 100 years old (54.7%) and presented a leaning positive attitude toward centenarians (52.6%). Holding a negative attitude toward centenarians rather than any other attribute increases the odds of having more negative attitudes toward life extension. Conclusion Results stress the importance of social views on extreme longevity in shaping life extension attitudes.