Page 2 - Health-related Quality Of Life Of The Elderly

A. O. Ogunyemi and Associates Health-Related Quality of Life

INTRODUCTION should be aimed at improving their health household was selected by simple
Health Related Quality Of Life is a related quality of life (HRQOL). In balloting. In the selected household, a
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subdivision of Quality of Life, and most Nigeria, it is vital to anticipate list of all the eligible residents that met
commonly refers to people’s experience requirements of this age group to plan the stated inclusion criteria was obtained
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of their global health. In the elderly appropriate policies to address their and one elderly person was randomly
people, it is described in terms of growing needs. It is expected that the selected from this list by simple balloting
functional status, independence, and data generated from this study will and interviewed for the study. A pre-
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ability to engage in life activities. As a provide important findings that will add tested, validated, structured, interviewer
result of advancement in public health to the body of knowledge about the administered questionnaire Short Form-
and medical science, there is better life elderly in nursing homes in Southwest 36 for the elderly, was used to collect
expectancy and an increase in longevity Nigeria and assist policy makers and information from respondents. 14 It
of old persons. In Africa, the most rapid program managers in planning health includes 36 questions organized into
growth in the older population is intervention strategies. The study aimed eight domains. These subscales address
expected in Western and Northern Africa, to determine and compare the health limitations in physical functions and role
whose older populations are projected to related quality of life of the elderly receiv- activities due to health problems, bodily
increase by a factor of nearly five ing institutional and non-institutional pain, general health perceptions, vitality
between 1980 and 2050. The population care in Southwestern Nigeria. [energy and fatigue], social limitations as
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of the elderly (above 60 years) in Nigeria a consequence of physical or emotional
is projected to reach 16 million by 2030 MATERIALS AND METHODS concerns, limitations in role activity due
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and 47 million by year 2060. The This cross-sectional analytical to emotional problems, and mental health.
implication of this is far reaching in study was conducted in Southwestern The SPSS (Statistical Package for Social
Nigeria due to the expected rise in old- Nigeria among 360 elderly people. The Sciences) Version 17.0 was used for data
age dependency ratio in the absence of sample consisted of respondents aged entry and analysis. The demographic,
social security for the elderly by the 60 years and above of both genders from socio-economic, medical and lifestyle
government. Since ageing puts the the institutional and non-institutional factors were presented in the form of
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elderly at risk of chronic diseases and groups; elderly residents from all four old frequency tables and cross tabulations.
disability, it will place high demands on people’s homes in the S.W region and The student’s t-test was used to compare
the fragile health care systems which is elderly residents living at their homes the mean scores between two groups.
already burdened with infectious within communities from the two States The Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests
diseases that are still the major cause of where the institutions were located. A were used for comparison of associations
ill health in developing countries. 6 minimum sample size of 94 was calculated between the various factors and the
Although it is not largely culturally using the formula for the comparison of scales of health related quality of life
acceptable to move one’s elderly to means of two independent groups and scores. Multiple regression tests were
nursing homes for caregiving in Nigeria, estimates from two previous studies. 12,13 carried out to assess the relationship of
urbanization, migration and harsh All 120 respondents from the four old the various predictors to the HRQOL
economic conditions have weakened the people’s homes who were well enough global score. HRQOL scores higher than
traditional family system and this social to respond to the questionnaire were 50 indicated a better score and scores less
change has led to the need for care selected while 240 elderly respondents than 50 indicated a worse general health
homes. 7,8,9 A study done in Edo State, were selected using a multistage sampling status out a maximum possible score of
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Southern Nigeria among the elderly from Lagos State and Oyo State in S.W 100. The level of significance was set at
revealed that majority of the respondents region where the old people’s homes p<0.05. Ethical approval was obtained
(62.7%) had age-associated illnesses were sited. In each State, two local from the health, research and ethics
such as high blood pressure, cardiac government areas (LGAs) each were committee of the Lagos University
problems, diabetes, joint pains, kidney selected by simple random sampling and Teaching Hospital. Permission for
infections, cancer and tuberculosis that two political wards from each of the LGA. collection data was obtained from the
are chronic in nature. The same study In each of the eight political wards, a list Ministry of Youth and Social
reported that 73.7% of the elderly of streets was obtained. Five streets were development of the states and the
patronized the hospital or health centers selected in each ward using simple officers-in-charge of each institution. The
whenever they fell sick but more elderly random sampling totaling forty streets. respondents were given the choice to
males than their female counterparts were The first house selected on each street participate or not to in the study with
found to have patronized traditional was obtained by simple balloting, confidentiality and anonymity. Written
healers, resorted to self-medication using thereafter; every consecutive house was informed consent was obtained from
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local herbs or visited the chemist. It is selected in the street till the desired each respondent by signature or thumb
now known that the focus of healthcare sample size of 30 respondents per ward printing on each questionnaire indicating
interventions for the elderly should not was obtained. In each selected house, a their willingness to participate in the
be limited to increasing longevity but list of households was obtained and one study.

26 West African Journal of Medicine Vol. 35, No. 1, January–April, 2018