Page 6 - Health-related Quality Of Life Of The Elderly

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

DISCUSSION emotional, vitality and mental health of well-being did not show any association
The HRQOL scores of the eight the non-institutional group 61.9±18.1 was with gender. However, in the institu-
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domains surveyed ranged from 43.4±34.9 comparable to the Tehran study with a tional group, more than half (51.4%) of
to 66.3±28.0 in the institutional group and MCS of 63.9±23.9. A study done among females had good scores compared to
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60.2±25.9 to 71.2±16.1 the non- Taiwanese elderly had a lower Mental less than a third (30.0%) of males and this
institutional group from a possible 0 to and Physical Component Summary of was statistically significant (p<0.05).
100. This is higher than in a comparative 56.8±7.7 and 48.6±8.2 respectively. In Conversely, the women in an Iranian
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study in Iran where the scores ranged general, the respondents in the non- study reported significantly poorer
from 21.4±36.1 to 40.1±18.4 in the institutional group study showed better HRQOL than the men. Some studies
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institutional group and from 35.1±39.1 to condition on mental component (mean have shown that women have longer life
60.9±24.2 in the non-institutional. The scores 67.9 versus 61.9) respectively than expectancy and spend a greater number
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finding in this study support findings in the physical component with higher total number of life years in good health
other studies that respondents in the non- scores among than in the institutional than men and this may account for better
institutional group had better scores than group (mean scores 55.2 versus 50.6) HRQOL among the women in this
respondents in the institutional respectively similar to the findings of the study. 26,27 The ‘married’ and those ‘never
group. 17,16 The only domain exception in mental components better than the married’ had better HRQOL scores
this study was that of body pain where physical component among the Tehran compared to those who were divorced,
the institutional group scored better than respondents (mean scores 63.8 versus separated or widowed in the non-
the non-institutional group and this was 55.0) respectively. The multifaceted institutional group and this difference
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consistent with a Finland study. The concept of ageing which includes was statistically significant. This finding
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reason for a better score in the body pain biological, functional, psychological and is consistent with other studies done in
domain by the institutional group may social dimensions is a likely explanation Korea and Italy which showed that
be due to their limited involvement in of a mental component (based on the married elderly participants had a higher
activities of daily living in which they psychological and social dimensions) average score of HRQOL than the
could experience pain (which was what than physical component (based on the divorced, widows and widowers. 28,29
was being assessed) due to the biological and functional dimensions) in Other studies done among the elderly
availability of domestic staff for these these groups. The finding of better scores have linked loneliness and social
activities as compared to the non- in the non-institutional group may be isolation with poorer quality of life and
institutional group. However, a study attributed to more social involvement and the finding that the elderly married males
done among elderly in institutional and engagement in work. In this study, the have better quality of life than elderly
non-institutional care in Croatia who had HRQOL scores decreased with increasing married females, with a conclusion that
suffered a stroke in the past revealed age and this was significant among the traditional role of women as primary
better scores among those in nursing respondents in the non-institutional care givers in the family make them more
homes (78.7±12.8) than those living in group. Eighty-eight percent of those susceptible to the reduced quality of life.
their own homes (59.3±17.3). The reason aged 60–69 years had good scores as 29,30 This study showed no statistically
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for this may be attributed to better care compared to 33.3% in those aged 90–99 significant relationship between the
for the elderly with stroke in an organized years in the non-institutional group respondents’ level of education and
setting than at home. The mean HRQOL (p<0.001). This trend was also seen in the HRQOL scores, however those who were
score for non-institutional respondents institutional group with 53.8% of working in the non-institutional group
in this study was 64.5±15.6 which was respondents in age group 60 to 69 years and respondents with higher income
higher than the mean score of 55.27±17.28 having good scores higher than 18.8% levels in the institutional group had good
among non-institutional elderly of those aged 90 to 99 years. This was HRQOL scores and these were
respondents from Southeastern, Nigeria similar to a population-based study of statistically significant (p<0.05). The role
but lower than the mean HRQOL score of individuals aged over 60 years in which of income and educational level is
70.1±14.1 among 200 elderly respondents the findings in Iran and Spain showed strongly evident as some studies
(100 each from rural and urban that the older people (>75 years old) had recognized economic status as the most
communities) in Chandigarh city, significantly lower scores. 22,23 This important predictor of HRQOL of elderly
India. 149,20 The Physical Component finding was however contrary to a study among other factors examined; those
summary (PCS) which includes the among old residents of nursing homes in with lower education and belonging to a
domains of general health, physical Norway which showed that residents lower social class were more likely to be
function, role function-physical and aged 95 to102 years old reported higher associated with a poorer quality of life in
body pain in the non-institutional group HRQOL than younger respondents. 24 the elderly more dramatically. 31,13 This
in this study was 61.9±18.1 higher than There was no statistically significant finding is in keeping with a study done
the PCS of the community elderly in relationship found between gender and among 456 male elderly in Southwestern
Tehran of 55.0±25.7. However, the Mental HRQOL scores in the non-institutional Nigeria that found education and wealth
Component Summary (MCS) which group and this was similar to a study in index to be greatly influence their quality
includes the domains of role function- North Central, Nigeria where the state of of life. It has been found that having

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