Conceptualizing quality of life for elderly people with stroke

Despite increased interest in quality of life (QOL) as an outcome measure and as a means of identifying client needs in health care, its conceptualisation and the identification of its constituents have been poorly researched for elderly people with stroke in Hong Kong.

This article analysed the literature to identify components relevant to the QOL of Chinese elderly people with stroke living in the community in Hong Kong.

While common components of QOL for elderly people with and without stroke and regardless of cultural background were identified, a number were specific to an elderly Chinese stroke population.

Recommendations for future research have been made with reference to further exploring and validating these components for the target population. A clear understanding of these aspects is essential for the development of sensitive QOL measures to guide and evaluate service delivery to this population.