Quality of life in Elderly: A Population Based Study in Shiraz, Iran

Background and Aim: Elderly (more than 60 years) population of the world will be nearly doubled from 12% in 2012 to 22% in 2050. This study was conducted to assess the QOL in elderly people who are under coverage of Integrated Geriatric Care Program by public health centers. Methods: This population based analytic cross-sectional study was conducted through a multi stage sampling. LIPAD questionnaire as a standard tool for assessment the QOL of elderly people was filled for each participant by a face to face interview. Data were analyzed in SPSS using parametric and nonparametric univariate and multiple linear regression. Results: The mean of total QOL score of all participants was 70.2 ± 10.5 (of total score 93). All seven core components of QOL; Physical Functioning, Depression and Anxiety, Cognitive Functioning, Self-Care, Social Functioning, Life Satisfaction and Sexual functioning were correlated in order to the total score of this components. Similarly all five moderator components of QOL; Perceived Personality, Anger, Self-steam, Social desirability and Trust in God were correlated to the total score of moderator parts of QOL respectively. Univariate analysis also showed that gender, level of education, occupational status of elderly and his/her spouse, age at the 1st marriage and being the main decision maker about family financial affairs were correlated significantly with the total score of QOL. Moreover, Multiple Linear Regression revealed that illiterate elderly (β =-3.94), elderly who were not the main decision makers about family financial affairs (β =-2.99) and female elderly (β=-2.74) had a lower QOL. Conclusion: This study remarked that the QOL of elderly people living in Shiraz is higher thanaverage. Moreover, policy making and interventions toward improvement of QOL in elderly population, especially through raising their level of literacy and giving a more autonomy role to them in decision making about financial affairs of their family is recommended

Keywords:

Elderly , Quality of life , LEIPAD , Shiraz , Iran