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Health status and quality of life: results from a national survey in a community-dwelling sample of elderly people

Luthy, Christophe ; Cedraschi, Christine ; Allaz, Anne-Françoise ; Herrmann, François ; Ludwig, Catherine

In: Quality of Life Research, 2015, vol. 24, no. 7, p. 1687-1696

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    Title
    • Health status and quality of life: results from a national survey in a community-dwelling sample of elderly people
    Author
    • Luthy, Christophe. Division of General Medical Rehabilitation, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva University, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1211, Geneva 14, Switzerland
    • Cedraschi, Christine. Division of General Medical Rehabilitation, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva University, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1211, Geneva 14, Switzerland
    • Allaz, Anne-Françoise. Division of General Medical Rehabilitation, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva University, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1211, Geneva 14, Switzerland
    • Herrmann, François. Division of Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva University, 3, Chemin du Pont Bochet, 1226, Thônex, Switzerland
    • Ludwig, Catherine. School of Health - Geneva, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland (HES-SO), Avenue de Champel 47, 1206, Geneva, Switzerland
    Document Type
    • Postprint
    Language
    • English
    Published in
    • Quality of Life Research, 2015, vol. 24, no. 7, p. 1687-1696. Springer International Publishing
    Other Version
    OAI-PMH Identifier
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:333005
    Summary
    Purpose: To investigate the relation between age and HRQoL indicators in a community-dwelling population aged 65years and older. Methods: Data were collected within a sample stratified by age (65-69; 70-74; 75-79; 80-84; 85-89; 90years and above) and sex and randomly selected in the population records in Switzerland. The EQ-5D was used to assess HRQoL. Analyses were conducted on the entire available sample (N=3,073) and on the subsample with no missing data in the EQ-5D (N=2,888), considering age, gender, education and region. Results: Results of multiple regression analyses showed different age-related patterns across the EQ-5D. The proportion of respondents reporting no problems ranged from 51% in the 65- to 69-year age group to 20% in the 90years and above age group. Odds ratio (OR) for Mobility problems increased from 2.04 in the 75- to 79-year age group to 13.34 in the 90years and above age group; OR for Usual Activities increased from 1.76 to 11.68 and from 1.55 to 2.32 for Pain/Discomfort; OR for Self-Care increased from 5.26 in the 80- to 84-year age group to 30.36 in the 90years and above age group. Problems with Self-Care remained low, increasing from 6.22% in the 80- to 84-year age group to 26.21% in the oldest age group. The magnitude of the gender, region and education effects was much lower than that of age. Conclusion: HRQoL is globally preserved in older adults in Switzerland, even if substantial impairment is reported in very old age affecting mainly functional health dimensions. Anxiety/Depression and Pain/Discomfort did not appear to be affected by age; high rates of difficulties were reported for Pain/Discomfort but not for Anxiety/Depression.