title: Factors associated with the quality of life of nursing home residents in Hong Kong.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The quality of life of nursing home residents has increasingly become an important dimension when evaluating care in a nursing home. Not a lot is known about the quality of life of nursing home residents in Hong Kong.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate factors associated with the quality of life of nursing home residents to inform care management policies and service delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study reports data from 125 nursing home residents. The Hong Kong Chinese version of the World Health Organization's Quality of Life-Brief version was used. Other measures used include the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Mini-Nutritional Assessment, the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Modified STRATIFY Falls Prediction Tool and the Modified Barthel Index. A univariate analysis and a multiple regression analysis were then performed to identify the influencing factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The participants reported a moderate level of quality of life, with the exception in the domain of social relationships. A univariate analysis found some associations between demographic and clinical characteristics and quality of life. A multiple regression analysis indicated that pain, being younger (65-74 years), having son(s) or daughter(s), and cognitive impairment were negatively associated factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The smallness of the sample from a single study site limits the generalizability of the findings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides information that has hitherto been lacking on the quality of life and associated factors among local nursing home residents in Hong Kong. The preliminary findings can help healthcare staff to identify those at risk of suffering from a low quality of life and to design appropriate care interventions to improve the quality of life of such residents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adequate pain relief, family connectedness and special attention to the needs of those with cognitive impairment are important considerations in ensuring a better quality of life for older people in long-term residential care.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: C K Y
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: D D M
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: E W Y
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Kwong
authors.forename: R L P
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000458:organization & administration*; D059408:Pain Management; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Aged; Long-Term Care; Nursing Homes; Pain; Quality of Life