title: Associations between perception of wellness and health-related quality of life, comorbidities, modifiable lifestyle factors and demographics in older Australians.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The associations between perceived wellness and health-related quality of life, comorbidities and modifiable lifestyle factors in older adults were explored.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-administered questionnaires including the Perceived Wellness Survey and the 36-Item Short Form of the Medical Outcomes Study version two were distributed to 328 community-living adults aged 65 years and over.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed positive associations between perception of wellness and health-related quality of life. General health (r(249) = 0.66, P < 0.01), vitality (r(249) = 0.59, P < 0.01) and mental health (r(249) = 0.52, P < 0.01) had the strongest association with perceived wellness; and social functioning (r(249) = 0.3, P < 0.01) and pain (r(249) = 0.36, P < 0.01) the lowest. Perceived wellness was influenced by hearing, mobility, memory, chronic disease, exercise, gambling and single status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study identified that perceived wellness in older adults is a multidimensional construct.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. jenneke.foottit@acu.edu.au
authors.forename: Jenneke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Foottit
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D011788:Quality of Life