title: Quality of life (QOL) of older adult community choral singers in Finland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Enhancing quality of life (QOL) of older adults is an international area of focus. Identifying factors and experiences that contribute to QOL of older adults helps promote optimal levels of functioning. This study examines the relationship between perceived benefits associated with choral singing and QOL among community-dwelling older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred seventeen older adults who sing in community choirs in Jyväskylä, Finland, completed self-report measures of QOL (WHOQOL-Bref), depressive symptoms, and a questionnaire about the benefits of singing in choir. Correlational analyses and linear regression models were used to examine the association between the benefits of singing in choir and QOL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both correlation and regression analyses found significant relationships between the benefits of choral singing and three QOL domains: psychological, social relationships, and environment. These associations remained significant after adjusting for age and depressive symptoms. As hypothesized, older choral singers who reported greater benefits of choir singing had higher QOL in multiple domains. The older choral singers in the study also reported few symptoms of depression and high overall QOL and satisfaction with health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that singing in a community choir as an older adult may positively influence several aspects of QOL. These results suggest that community choral singing may be one potential avenue for promoting QOL in older adults.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health & Aging, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. julene.johnson@ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Julene K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Louhivuori
authors.forename: Anita L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Asko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tolvanen
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Pertti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Era
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D063346:Singing; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014944:World Health Organization