title: Assessing health-related quality of life among older people in rural Bangladesh.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to review instruments of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) to identify an instrument appropriate for elderly people in rural Bangladesh. In addition, it hypothesizes that it is important to include physical, psychological, social, spiritual, economic, and environmental dimensions when assessing HRQoL in this group. Sixteen generic instruments found through PubMed were reviewed with regard to content and construct. None of the reviewed instruments fully met the criteria required in the intended context. In-depth interviews were conducted with 11 elderly people in rural Bangladesh to explore the dimensions of HRQoL they considered important. Content analysis of the interview transcripts supported the hypothesis that all six dimensions were important. Suggestions for a new HRQoL instrument appropriate for elderly people in rural Bangladesh are presented.
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Marti G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Zarina Nahar
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: Kabir
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001459:Bangladesh; D004522:Educational Status; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D008603:Mental Health; D008960:Models, Psychological; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012649:Self Concept; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D029181:Spirituality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*