[Factors associated with quality of life parameters in older adults in Morelos]

This study aimed to identify a set of factors related to quality of life across the dimensions of physical, social and emotional functioning and general health perception in an elderly population from the state of Morelos, Mexico.

A cross-sectional study was carried out from March to September of 1997 in urban and rural areas of the state of Morelos. The sample was built from randomly selected 2,571 households in the study areas. Data for the study were collected by means of structures personal interviews, using a questionnaire applied to 869 subjects who were 60 years or older at the time of the interview. Quality of life was analyzed in four dimensions: physical, social and emotional functioning and general health perception. Independent variables were: gender, age, perceived morbidity, activity level, health check-up and hospitalization during the last year, tobacco consumption and family income. Statistical analyses went from descriptive statistics to the fitting of multivariate unconditional logistic regression models.

The factors associated with the dimensions of quality of life were: physical functioning; gender, illness in last year, age, tobacco consumption and activity level. In social functioning only health check up was significant, as protector factor of good social quality. In emotional functioning the associated factors were: gender, illness and medical check-up in last year. For the dimension health perception the variables were: gender, illness, hospitalization in last year and activity. All of them statistically significant p < 0.05.

The factors associated with quality of life vary according to each dimension. However; gender, morbidity, health check up and activity were common for the dimensions studied; so that these aspects should be considered for planning interventions to improve the quality of life in elderly people.