Quality-of-life Profile Of The Elderly Residing In A Very Low Population Density Rural Area

Abstract

This paper describes the Quality-of-Life profile of the elderly residing in an inland region located at middle south of the Portugal main territory, presenting a larger area and low population density, which is composed of several items, extracted after statistics analysis of the data taken from the European Portuguese version of WHOQOL-BREF. Cross-sectional, descriptive study, with a random sample composed of elderly individuals residing in the community. Data collected by health professionals in the participants’ houses, using the European Portuguese WHOQOL-BREF instrument. The factorial validity was assessed by a confirmatory factor analysis. Appropriate statistical tests were used for comparison between mean Quality-of-Life scores according to gender, age group, marital status and educational level. Regression models were used to identify the biological and sociodemographic possible predictive factors of Quality-of-Life and the possible predictive domains of the General-Health-Facet. All Quality-of-Life domains and the General-Health-Facet decreased with advancing age. A higher and lower mean scores were observed, respectively for the Social Relationships and Physical Health domains. Males had higher mean Quality-of-Life scores than females, while widows and older women had the lowest ones when compared to other individuals. Educational level was the most significant sociodemographic predictive factor of Quality-of-Life domains, with scores increasing as the educational level increased. Moreover, Physical Health domain was the strongest predictor of the General-Health-Facet. The authors think that all the information extracted from the proposed Quality-of-Life profile, constitutes an important empirical basis that allow for more a detailed outcome of a concrete health care needs of the elderlies, leading to a concise planning and monitoring of health interventions and health policies management, extending the current general knowledge on Quality-of-Life. With this Quality-of-Life profile, which was never been made for the elderly population residing in Region of Baixo Alentejo, the authors expect “to find out what is really important for the elderlies, based on the rule: “better to know for better care”.