Determinants of Quality of Life in Elderly Patients of a Psychosocial Care Center in Brazil

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to identify the sociodemographic, clinical, and functional determinants of quality of life in elderly (older than 60 years) patients from a Psychosocial Care Center. The sample was randomly selected patients undergoing treatment at the center during the study period. Quality of life was assessed using the brief version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment (WHOQOL-BREF) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment for older adults (WHOQOL-OLD). A total of 50 elderly individuals with a mean age of 67.5 (SD = 5.72) years were included in the study. A hierarchical linear regression showed that clinical characteristics, such as severe symptoms of depression and a higher number of comorbidities, were related to lower quality of life. Better functional capacity and more frequent visits to the center were determinants of higher quality of life. These findings underscore the importance of assessing quality of life and of taking this variable into account when planning health interventions for elderly patients at a Psychosocial Care Center.