[Quality of life in the elderly on polymedication and with multiple morbidities]

To estimate the values of the quality of life dimensions using the SF-12 questionnaire in the elderly on polymedication and with multiple morbidities, and identify the variables associated with it.

A cross-sectional study on a sample of 393 patients selected from the elderly population over 67 years and who took more than 5 drugs. The SF-12 was complemented by a personal interview in the clinic or in the home of the patient. Central tendency, dispersion, and the percentiles of the 8 dimensions were calculated, as well as the SF-36 physical and mental component summary measures (PCS and MCS). All patients below the 25th percentile of the PCS and MCS were classified as patients with a deterioration. Logistic regression was used to determine the variables that were associated with the deterioration in the quality of life.

It is a population with high morbidity. The subjects showed very low scores on the general health scales--mean (SD): 25.7 (17.4)-; physical function -32.6 (32.1)-; and PCS: [(37.8 (25.1)]. Women had a worse quality of life than men in all the scales. Female sex, being over 80 years, frequent falls, chronic pain, cancerous disease, and depression, are variables that determine the health-related quality of life (HR-QoL).

This population has a poor HR-QoL, particularly in the physical dimensions. Chronic pain and depression, together with age and being female are variables that determine the deterioration in the HR-QoL.