FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE GLOBAL QUALITY OF LIFE OF LONG-LIVED OLDER ADULTS (>80 YEARS)

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess the global quality of life and its associated factors in long-lived older adults registered with family health centers. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, quantitative study based on secondary data from a convenience sample of 100 older adults living in Recife, Brazil. Global quality of life was measured using the two general questions on the World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument. The independent study variables were: sociodemographic characteristics (age, race/skin color, marital status, sex, educational level, individual income, and religion); diagnosed morbidities noted on medical record; depressive symptomology (Geriatric Depression Scale, considering results with scores over 5 as symptomatic); and social support (Lubben Social Network Scale. Independent variables that exhibited statistically significant bivariate associations with the dependent variable at the 5% level were included in a multivariate model. RESULTS: The results of analyses revealed a mean age of 84.20 years, 77% of the sample were female, 46% had spent between 1 and 4 years in education, 63% were widowed, 76% had an income equivalent to one to two times the minimum wage, 77% had systemic arterial hypertension, 34% had diabetes mellitus, 27% had cardiovascular disease, 74% had social support, and 63% exhibited depressive symptomology. The frequency of satisfactory global quality of life in the sample studied was 35%. CONCLUSIONS: Concerning the global quality of life, assessed in terms of interviewees' satisfaction with their lives and health in conjunction, the majority of the study population reported not being satisfied. After completing all statistical analyses, factors associated with dissatisfaction were social support, depression, and osteoarthritis.

Keywords

• adults aged 80 years or over
• quality of life
• primary healthcare