title: Assessing quality of life in an ambulatory medicare population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Medicare beneficiaries have unique health-related challenges causing significant impact on quality of life. This study examined the overall health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and differences in HRQOL between subgroups of an ambulatory Medicare beneficiary population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine outreach events were held during the 2011 Medicare Part D prescription drug open-enrollment period, in which 397 beneficiaries were assisted with Part D plan evaluation and comprehensive medication therapy review. Demographic data were collected, and the SF-36v2 was administered to measure beneficiaries' self-reported HRQOL. Correlations were assessed between the mental component summary (MCS) or physical component summary (PCS) scores of the SF-36v2, prescription utilization, number of chronic conditions, and whether beneficiaries were government subsidy recipients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean Å standard deviation of PCS and MCS scores were 43.3 Å 11.4 and 52.2 Å 11.7, respectively. Both PCS and MCS scores were negatively correlated with the number of prescription medications and number of self-reported chronic conditions. Both PCS and MCS scores related to sociodemographics were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in subsidy and least-educated recipients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HRQOL can vary widely as a result of sociodemographic, drug, or disease differences in an ambulatory Medicare beneficiary population.
authors.affiliation: Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California 95211, USA. jwoelfel@pacific.edu
authors.forename: Joseph A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Woelfel
authors.forename: Rajul A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Huey
authors.forename: Umang
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Mark P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Walberg
authors.forename: Suzanne M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Galal
authors.forename: Sian M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Carr-Lopez
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare; D054524:Medicare Part D; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D014481:United States