Comparing Quality of Life of Elderly Menopause Living in Urban and Rural Areas

Factors influencing quality of life among the elderly: An approach using logistic regression

BACKGROUND

Improving the physical, psychological, and social factors in the elderly significantly increases the QoL1 among them. This study aims to identify the crucial factors for predicting QoL among the elderly using statistical methods.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, 980 samples related to the elderly with favorable and unfavorable QoL were investigated. The elderly's QoL was investigated using a qualitative and self-assessment questionnaire that measured the QoL among them by five Likert spectrum and independent factors. The Chi-square test and eta coefficient were used to determine the relationship between each predicting factor of the elderly's QoL in SPSS V 25 software. Finally, we used the Enter and Forward LR methods to determine the correlation of influential factors in the presence of other variables.

RESULTS

The study showed that 20 variables gained a significant relationship with the quality of life of the elderly at P < 0.05. The study results showed that the degree of dependence (P = 0.03), diabetes mellitus (P = 0.03), formal and informal social relationships (P = 0.01 and P = 0.02), ability to play an emotional role (P = 0.03), physical performance (P = 0.01), heart diseases and arterial blood pressure (P = 0.02), and cancer (P = 0.01) have favorable predictive power in predicting the QoL among the elderly.

CONCLUSION

Attempts to identify and modify the important factors affecting the elderly's QoL have a significant role in improving the QoL and life satisfaction in this age group people. This study showed that the statistical methods have a pleasant capability to discover the factors associated with the elderly's QoL with high performance in this regard.

Clinical decision support system for quality of life among the elderly: an approach using artificial neural network

Background

Due to advancements in medicine and the elderly population’s growth with various disabilities, attention to QoL among this age group is crucial. Early prediction of the QoL among the elderly by multiple care providers leads to decreased physical and mental disorders and increased social and environmental participation among them by considering all factors affecting it. So far, it is not designed the prediction system for QoL in this regard. Therefore, this study aimed to develop the CDSS based on ANN as an ML technique by considering the physical, psychiatric, and social factors.

Methods

In this developmental and applied study, we investigated the 980 cases associated with pleasant and unpleasant elderlies QoL cases. We used the BLR and simple correlation coefficient methods to attain the essential factors affecting the QoL among the elderly. Then three BP configurations, including CF-BP, FF-BP, and E-BP, were compared to get the best model for predicting the QoL.

Results

Based on the BLR, the 13 factors were considered the best factors affecting the elderly’s QoL at P < 0.05. Comparing all ANN configurations showed that the CF-BP with the 13-16-1 structure with sensitivity = 0.95, specificity  =  0.97, accuracy = 0.96, F-Score = 0.96, PPV = 0.95, and NPV = 0.97 gained the best performance for QoL among the elderly.

Conclusion

The results of this study showed that the designed CDSS based on the CFBP could be considered an efficient tool for increasing the QoL among the elderly.

The Effect of Self-care Education Based on Self-efficacy Theory, Individual Empowerment Model, and Their Integration on Quality of Life among Menopausal Women

BACKGROUND

Menopause has adverse physical and emotional effects on the quality of life. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of self-care education based on self-efficacy theory, individual empowerment model, and their integration on the quality of life among menopausal women.

METHODS

In this quasi-experimental study, 186 menopausal women, aged 45-60 years at Kashan health centers entered the study using cluster sampling for health centers and simple random sampling inside each center from the list of the population from December 2019 to March 2020. The intervention was performed in 3 groups, using empowerment training, self-efficacy training, and their integration for 4 sessions each lasting 1-1.5 hours of weekly training. Three study groups were selected from different centers to minimize information exchange. Menopausal women's quality-of-life questionnaire was used to assess the quality of life. Questionnaires were completed pre-intervention and one and three months after completing the intervention. SPSS16 software and ANOVA, Chi-square, and repeated measure tests were used.

RESULTS

The mean±SD score of quality of life in pre-intervention measurement was 32.96±10.62 in empowerment, 31.93±12.54 in self-efficacy, and 34.07±11.7 in integrated groups. The intervention was effective in improving the quality of life of all three groups (P values were<0.001 for time, 0.92 for group, and 0.38 for time*group interaction).

CONCLUSION

This study showed that empowerment and enhancing self-efficacy could improve menopausal women's quality of life. This can help health professionals to better educate postmenopausal women about self-care in menopausal complications.

Efeitos das vivências em sexualidade na autoestima e na qualidade de vida de pessoas idosas

RESUMO Objetivo analisar os efeitos da sexualidade na autoestima e na qualidade de vida de pessoas idosas. Método estudo transversal, web survey, analítico e observacional desenvolvido com 519 pessoas idosas, as quais preencheram quatro instrumentos para a coleta dos dados. Os participantes foram recrutados conforme a técnica de amostragem não probabilística por conveniência. A análise foi realizada com o teste de Mann-Whitney, Correlação de Spearman e Modelagem de Equações Estruturais, com intervalo de confiança de 95%. Resultados dentre as dimensões da sexualidade, o ato sexual exerceu efeito fraco sob a autoestima (CP=0,186; p=0,007) e moderado sob a qualidade de vida (CP=0,326; p<0,001). Já a dimensão das relações afetivas exerceu efeito fraco sobre a autoestima (CP=0,204; p=0,006) e fraco sob a qualidade de vida (CP=0,186; p=0,03). Por fim, a dimensão das adversidades física e social exerceu efeito moderado sob a autoestima (CP=0,276; p<0,001) e moderado sob a qualidade de vida (CP=0,358; p<0,001). Conclusão constatou-se que todas as dimensões da sexualidade exerceram efeitos positivos e significativos sob a autoestima e sob a qualidade de vida dos participantes.

Effects of sexuality experiences on older adults' self-esteem and quality of life

ABSTRACT Objective to analyze the effects of sexuality on older adults’ self-esteem and quality of life. Method a cross-sectional, web survey, analytical and observational study developed with 519 aged individuals, who filled out four instruments for data collection. The participants were recruited using a non-probability convenience sampling technique. The analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney test, Spearman's correlation and Structural Equation Modeling, with a 95% confidence interval. Results among the sexuality dimensions, the sexual act had a weak effect on self-esteem (SC=0.186; p=0.007) and moderate on quality of life (SC=0.326; p<0.001). The affective relationships dimension had a weak effect both on self-esteem (SC=0.204; p=0.006) and on quality of life (SC=0.186; p=0.03). Finally, the physical and social adversity dimension had a moderate effect both on self-esteem (SC=0.276; p<0.001) and quality of life (SC=0.358; p<0.001). Conclusion it was found that all the sexuality dimensions exerted positive and significant effects on the participants’ self-esteem and quality of life.

Factors Affecting Quality of Life among Older Adults with Hypertension in Urban and Rural Areas in Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study

This study explored factors affecting quality of life in older adults with hypertension by comparing those living in urban and rural areas. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 420 older adults living in urban and rural areas in Thailand. Data were collected using the WHOQOL-OLD and Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II tools, which measured quality of life and health-promoting behaviors among the participants. Older adults in urban areas had higher quality of life scores than those in rural locations. Health-promoting behaviors significantly predicted higher quality of life for all residents. A high perceived health status predicted increase of quality of life in urban residents, whereas the presence of comorbidity effects decreased quality of life. A longer hypertension duration predicted higher quality of life in rural residents. These findings suggest that healthy behaviors and self-management interventions are critical to improve quality of life in older Thai adults with hypertension.

Sexuality is associated with the quality of life of the elderly!

OBJECTIVE

to analyze the association between sexuality and quality of life of Brazilian elderly residents in the community.

METHODS

a cross-sectional study conducted with 477 Brazilian elderly. The data were collected between August and October 2020. We used the EVASI and WHOQOL-OLD (World Health Organization Quality of Life). Data analysis was performed with Mann-Whitney, Spearman and Kruskal-Wallis correlation tests, with Bonferroni post-hoc application when necessary, considering a 95% confidence interval.

RESULTS

there was a statistical association between all dimensions of sexuality and the general quality of life of the elderly (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

the stimulation of sexuality can be configured as an innovative and holistic strategy focused on the promotion of health and active aging, since this study found the association between sexuality and the general quality of life of elderly people.

Individual Characteristics Associated with Menopausal Symptom Severity and Menopause-Specific Quality of Life: A Rural Perspective

This study aims to analyze the relationship/effect of a wide range of individual factors with/on menopausal symptom severity (MSS) and menopause-specific quality of life (MSQoL) in rural Turkish women. This cross-sectional study included rural perimenopausal/postmenopausal women. Demographic (age, marital status, and education and employment status), physical (body weight and height), medical (chronic disease status), obstetric (number of gravidas), and menopausal characteristics (menopausal nature, perception of menopause, and menopausal stage), physical activity level, anxiety and depressive symptom levels, MSS, and MSQoL of the participants were assessed. The relationships between MSS/MSQoL and all individual characteristics were examined by correlation analyses. In addition, MSS and MSQoL were compared between various categories using independent-groups t tests and variance analyses. Statistical significance level was set at p <0.05. A total of 245 women (mean age 56.64 ± 6.59 years) were included in the study. It was found that marital status, body mass index, presence of chronic disease, the number of gravidas, perception of menopause, and anxiety and depressive symptom levels were associated with MSS and MSQoL (p < 0.05). On the other hand, symptom severity and QoL did not change according to the level of education, employment status, menopausal nature, menopausal stage, and physical activity level (p > 0.05). MSS and MSQoL in rural women may be associated or affected by a wide range of individual characteristics, and this relationship or influence differs from the urban women literature at some points. Further studies are needed to illuminate the menopausal process in rural areas and compare rural and urban results.

Depression, Quality of Life, and Self-Esteem of Moroccan Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis before the Occurrence of Fractures

Objectives

Previous researches have investigated depression in postmenopausal women (PMW) with osteoporosis and fractures, but little is known regarding Moroccan PMW without fractures. We investigated depression prevalence and severity in Moroccan PMW with osteoporosis without fractures and its relationship with quality of life (QoL) and physical and psychological state.

Methods

This cross-sectional study enrolled 100 PMW with osteoporosis without fractures. Depressive symptoms, QoL, self-esteem, and fatigue were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Arabic version of ECOS-16 questionnaire, Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and Arabic version of the Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue scale, respectively. A questionnaire including sociodemographic factors, bone density features, pain intensity, and sleep disturbance was completed.

Results

Overall, 58% patients suffered from depression and 55% from pain (63.8% depressed women vs. 42.9% nondepressed patients; P = 0.03). Bone mineral density, lumbar spine T-score, ECOS-16, and self-esteem in depressed and nondepressed women were 0.791 (0.738–0.840) vs. 0.835 (0.790–0.866); −3.25 (−3.8 to −2.875) vs. −2.9 (−3.425 to −2.700), P = 0.02; 2.338 ± 0.605 vs. 1.638 ± 0.455; and 13.517 ± 5.487 vs. 18.404 ± 5.771, P < 0.0001, respectively. Depression severity correlated with pain, QoL, self-esteem, and fatigue (r = 0.367, r = −0.390, r = −0.390, and r = 0.369, respectively; P < 0.0001) as well as lumbar spine bone mineral density and T-score (r = −0.258 and r = −0.255, respectively; P = 0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed impaired QoL (β = 0.526; P < 0.0001), fatigue (β = 0.177; P = 0.02), and lower self-esteem (β = −2.170; P = 0.005) as the strongest risk factors of depression.

Conclusions

Our study shows that even without fractures, Moroccan PMW with osteoporosis suffered from depression, pain, impaired QoL, and lower self-esteem.