The quality of life of the elderly living in communities of Xi'an City / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the present situation of living and living quality of the elderly living in communities of Xi'an City.Methods By using quality of life(QOL) questionnaire,the elders living in two communities in Xi'an were investigated regarding their physical,psychological,social and material functions as well as overall living quality.Results Psychological and social functions scored significantly higher in both male and higher-income groups than those in the others.The scores of physical and social functions in the lower-income elderly were significantly higher than those in high-income ones.The scores of overall living quality of those elderly having spouses,living with their family members,taking an active part in social activities,having hobbies and enjoying medical insurance were significantly higher than those of the others.The well-educated elderly scored significantly higher in social function than those with lower education level;adverse events prominently decreased the quality of life of the elderly.More than 80% of the elderly were satisfied with their living environment.The highest incidence of chronic diseases in the communities was hypertension.Conclusion The quality of life of the elderly living in communities of Xi'an City is good.Health status,family environment,educational level,income and marital status are the main factors that affect the quality of life of the elderly.