Quality of life and related factors among older people living in rural areas in south-eastern Poland

Introduction. Quality of life (QOL) is an important aspect of life, reflecting health and conditioning the well-being of older adults. Maintaining the QOL is essential in times of demographic changes which resulting longer life spans, and consequently an increased proportion of older adults in society. Objective. The aim of the study was to assess the quality of life and its basic determining factors in the elderly living in rural areas of south-eastern Poland. Material and method. The study was conducted on 973 respondents aged 60-80 years living in rural areas of south-eastern Poland (Podkarpackie Region). The research tool used in the study was the WHOQOL-Bref and a questionnaire on personal characteristics and health. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistica version 10. Results. All quality of life domains assessed were above the median values of the scale. The highest values were found in the social domain (67.35 +/- 17.31) and the lowest values in the physical domain (58.74 +/- 14.80). All the quality of life values decreased with an increase in age and increase in number of chronic diseases in a given person. A higher quality of life was found in subjects who were physically and socially active. Conclusion. The study stresses the impact of modifiable determiners of QOL. Interventions aimed at improving the quality of life of older adults should involve interdisciplinary monitoring of health, early treatment of diagnosed problems, and promotion of physical activity and daily life activities.