Health-related quality of life in low-income older African Americans.
This study examined the relationships among comorbid conditions, symptom stress, depression, functional status and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in low-income older African Americans with chronic diseases. A convenience sample of 83 older African American adults living in subsidized housing for elders participated in the study. Data were collected in face-to-face interviews. Participants reported lower scores on HRQOL than the SF-36 norms for age 60 or older in the general U.S. population. Comorbid conditions, symptom distress, depression, and functional status significantly predicted both the physical (F = 38.92, p < .001) and mental (F = 23.21, p < .001) health components of HRQOL, accounting for 63% of variance in the SF-36 physical health score and 55% of the variance in the SF-36 mental health score. The findings suggested that developing interventions to assist older African Americans to better manage their symptoms and depression are of prime importance for improving HRQOL.
Hu
Jie
J
School of Nursing, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro School of Nursing, Greensboro, NC, USA. jie_hu@uncg.edu
D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D016852:Housing for the Elderly; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009657:North Carolina; D011203:Poverty / Q000208:ethnology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis