Tavares DMDS, Oliveira NGN, da Cruz KCT, Bolina AF. Quality of life in older adults according to race/color: a cross-sectional study.
SAO PAULO MED J 2023;
141:67-77. [PMID:
35976370 PMCID:
PMC9808993 DOI:
10.1590/1516-3180.2021.0720.r1.29042022]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Increased longevity is accompanied by new social and health demands, such as the race/color social construct, indicating the need to identify the specific needs of older adults to maintain and improve their quality of life.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to verify the direct and indirect associations of demographic, economic, and biopsychosocial characteristics with self-assessed quality of life in older adults according to race/color.
DESIGN AND SETTING
This cross-sectional study included 941 older adults living in the urban area of a health microregion in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
METHODS
Older adults were divided into three groups: white (n = 585), brown (n = 238), and black (n = 102) race/color. Descriptive and trajectory analyses were performed (P < 0.05).
RESULTS
Among the three groups, worse self-assessed quality of life was directly associated with lower social support scores and greater numbers of depressive symptoms. Worse self-assessed quality of life was also directly associated with a higher number of functional disabilities in basic activities of daily living and the absence of a partner among older adults of brown and black race/color. Lower monthly income and higher numbers of morbidities and compromised components of the frailty phenotype were observed among participants of white race/color, as well as lower levels of education in the brown race/color group.
CONCLUSION
Factors associated with poorer self-assessed quality of life among older adults in the study community differed according to race/color.
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