Association of quality of life with laboratory measurements and lifestyle factors in community dwelling older people in Taiwan

Abstract

Objectives: Little is known about the influence of routine laboratory measurements and lifestyle factors on generic quality of life (QOL) at older ages. We aimed to study the relationship between generic QOL and laboratory measurements and lifestyle factors in community dwelling older Chinese people.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis. Six hundred and ninety nine elders were randomly selected from the examinees of the annual health examination in Taipei City, Taiwan. Blood, urine and stool of the participants were examined and lifestyle data were collected. Participants completed the CASP-19 (control, autonomy, self-realization, pleasure) questionnaire, a 19-item QOL scale. The relationship between QOL and laboratory results and lifestyle factors was explored, using multiple linear regression and profile analysis.

Results: The mean age of the participants was 75.5 years (SD = 6.5), and 49.5% were female. Male gender standardized β coefficients (β = 0.122) and exercise habit (β = 0.170) were associated with a better QOL, whereas advanced age (β = −0.242), blurred vision (β = −0.143), depression (β = −0.125), central obesity (β = −0.093), anemia (β = −0.095), rheumatoid arthritis (β = −0.073), Parkinsonism (β = −0.079), malignancy (β = −0.086) and motorcycle riding (β = −0.086) were associated with a lower QOL. Profile analysis revealed that young–old males, social drinkers, regular exercisers and car drivers had the best QOL (all p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Of the many laboratory measurements, only anemia was associated with the lower QOL. By contrast, several lifestyle factors, such as social drinking, exercise habit and car driving, were associated with better QOL, whereas abdominal obesity and motorcycle riding were associated with lower QOL.

Keywords:

• quality of life
• old age
• lifestyle factors
• clinical status

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge Taipei City Hospital, Taiwan for funding this study. The authors thank Ms Ginger Yeh for her kind help in data collection and the study participants for consenting participation. The authors thank Dr Kuan-Liang Kuo and Dr Wai-Kuen Wong for their managerial support. The sponsor played no role in the design, execution, analysis and interpretation of data, or writing of the study.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the intramural research project of Taipei City Hospital: ‘The Investigation of Quality of Life and Factors Associated with Falls and Osteoporosis in Community Dwelling Citizens over 50 Years Old’.