Health empowerment and health‐related quality of life in older individuals with disabilities and their spouse carers: A cross‐sectional study

Abstract

The stress of disability significantly impacts an individual's quality of life and that of a spouse. Health empowerment, based on the idea that individuals may be successful despite disability, may be meaningful to disabled persons and their spouse carers. This cross‐sectional survey study aimed to explore the effect of health empowerment on the health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) of older individuals with disabilities and their spouse carers on both a personal (actor effect) and interpersonal level (partner effect). A total of 1092 dyads of older individuals with disabilities and their spouse carers residing in communities were recruited from seven provinces in China. Two separate Actor‐Partner Interdependence Model analyses were conducted to examine the impact of health empowerment on the two domains of HRQOL: the Physical Component Score (PCS) and the Mental Component Score (MCS). The results revealed that health empowerment had actor effects on the PCS and MCS of older individuals with disabilities, as well as on the PCS and MCS of their spouse carers. However, no significant partner effects of health empowerment on the PCS and MCS of either the individuals with disabilities or their spouse caregivers were observed. Empowering individuals with disabilities and their spouse carers may help them enhance their own HRQOL, both physically and mentally. However, more research is required to determine the interpersonal effect of health empowerment on the HRQOL.

Influence of comorbidity of chronic diseases on basic activities of daily living among older adults in China: a propensity score-matched study

“…* P < 0.05. t/U/X 2 , eigenvalue; t, test; U, Mann-Whitney U-test; X 2 , chi-square test.inequality across regions (23). In the current study, the prevalence of BADL disability was 7.25%, which was similar to 8.78% reported by Cui et al(21) and 6% by Zhang et al(14) and slightly lower than 13% obtained byConnolly et al (…”

“…The prevalence of BADL disability among the older adults ranged from 6% to 40% ( 14 , 15 , 17 , 21 , 22 ). These differences may be attributed to inconsistent evaluation criteria and economic inequality across regions ( 23 ).…”

“…BADL refers to the basic daily movements that individuals perform to maintain their independence, such as dressing and grooming ( 14 ). It is a crucial indicator of physical and cognitive ability in older adults and is considered a vital component of healthy aging and independent living ( 15 ). Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of BADL is essential for future health-service planning.…”