Abstract 12730: Comparisons of Health Outcomes Between Baby Boomers and Silent Generation Among Older Adults With Heart Failure

Abstract

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome of aging. Many studies compare older (≥65 years) and younger (< 65 years) participants’ HF experiences as younger patients’ HF etiology and psychobehavioral factors are distinct from older patients. Yet, best practice geriatric HF management necessitates understanding of the differences present among older generations. Objective: To compare health outcomes (cardiac event-free survival and quality of life [QoL]) in older adults with HF by generational cohort including baby boomers and silent generation. Method: This 2-year longitudinal study of 497 patients with HF (male 61%, age 65±9 years, NYHA III/IV: 34%) included cardiac event data (i.e., HF readmission and cardiac death) collected from patient interview, hospital database and death certificate. QoL was measured using the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure. We collected demographic (e.g., gender, race), clinical (e.g., comorbidities), and psychobehavioral (e.g., depressive symptoms, anxiety, HF knowledge, self-care) factors as covariates. We conducted Chi-squares, t-tests, linear and Cox regression for data analysis. Results: Two fifths of the participants (39.63%) were baby boomers. Baby boomers had more depressive symptoms, higher levels of anxiety, lower levels of B-type natriuretic peptide, and higher number living in the same house than those in the silent generation (all P <.05). Lower percentages of baby boomers were Whites and unemployed compared to the silent generation cohort ( P <.05). There were no differences in other covariates between the two cohorts. Baby boomers had significantly worse QoL than patients in the silent generation ( P <.001). Before and after adjusting for covariates, generation cohort was a significant predictor of cardiac event-free survival (HR=1.46-1.47, both P <.05). Conclusion: Baby boomers with HF had better cardiac event-free survival, but more depressive symptoms, higher levels of anxiety, and worse QoL compared to older adults in the silent generation. In the US, baby boomers are the largest generational cohort in 2022 and are approaching their late 50s and mid-70s. As this group continues to age with increasing rates of HF, practice and research will benefit from continued focus on their needs.