Global quality of life modifies terminal change in physical functioning among older adult women

the factors that moderate decline in physical functioning as death approaches are understudied. This study aimed to assess death-related decline in global quality of life (QoL) and physical functioning and to test whether baseline QoL moderates terminal decline in physical functioning.

four thousand six hundred and fifty-one decedents from the Women's Health Initiative Study (WHI) rated QoL and physical functioning each year throughout 5 years of follow-up.

both QoL and physical functioning showed a steeper decline as a function of years to death than as a function of chronological age. Moreover, decedents with higher QoL at baseline showed a less steep decline in physical functioning as death approached than those with lower QoL at baseline.

although QoL strongly decreases across the terminal years, its beneficial influence on physical functioning is evident till the very end of life.