Evaluation of health-related quality of life of the empty-nest elderly in Hangzhou / 预防医学

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate health-related quality of life of the empty-nest elderly in Hangzhou and its influencing factors.Methods A total of 1000 empty-nest elderly were selected to participate the questionaire survey, using a stratified cluster sampling method,and the five-dimensional European quality of health scale(EQ-5D)was used to measure the health status of the empty-nest elderly. Chi square test and univariate ANOVA analysis were used to identify potential influencing factors.Results A total of 992 participants were involved in this study. The proportions of participants who had difficulties or problems in mobility,self-care,usual activities,pain/discomfort,and anxiety/depression were 16.13%,11.09%,19.76%,48.49% and 29.84% respectively. In terms of usual activities, pain/discomfort,and anxiety/depression,the proportions of empty-nest elderly who had difficulties or problems in those three dimensions were significantly higher in urban areas than in rural areas(P<0.05). The range of EQ-5D utility value was -0.11 to 0.85,with an average value of 0.75±0.13. The study showed that the elderly without chronic diseases, tending to pour out their feelings or ask for help when they were in trouble,participating activities held by political parties or communities,with lower personal incomes,and depending on children to support their life after retirement were more likely to have higher EQ-5D utility values(all P<0.01).Conclusion The health-related quality of life of empty-nest elderly in Hangzhou is at a low level,and is influenced by several soci-demographic factors. Encouraging the elderly to ask for help,improving the management of chronic diseases and providing more social supports could improve the health-related quality of life of the elderly.