title: Aging, Gender and Quality of Life (AGEQOL) study: factors associated with good quality of life in older Brazilian community-dwelling adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Brazil, a rapidly aging country suffering from large inequalities, the study of the quality of life (QOL) of aged people is important for the future health. The aim of this study was to examine the associations among QOL, gender, and physical and psychosocial health in older Brazilian community-dwelling adults to identify factors that are associated with better QOL.
  
  
  METHODS
  The "Aging, Gender and Quality of Life (AGEQOL)" study, which included 2,052 respondents aged 60 or older, was conducted in Sete Lagoas, Brazil between January and July 2012. The respondents answered questions regarding their socioeconomic and demographic information, health and social situations, cognitive impairment, depressive symptoms and family satisfaction. The authors also applied the Brazilian version the World Health Organization Quality of Life QOL Assessment-Brief Instrument (WHOQOL-BREF) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument-Older Adults Module (WHOQOL-Old). Ordinal logistic regression with the Proportional-Odds and Logit function was used to test the association between QOL and physical and psychosocial health according to age and socioeconomic status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Older adults of both genders with five or more years of education, good self-rated health, an absence of depressive symptoms, and no family dysfunction reported better QOL. Retired men had a better QOL compared to non-retired men (OR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.4-3.2), but this association was not observed in females. Men living in mixed arrangements (OR = 0.5; p = 0.033) and women who did not practice physical activity (OR = 0.7; p = 0.022) tended to have poorer QOL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that there are gender differences related to better QOL in this sample. Women with good physical and psychosocial health are more likely to have a better QOL. For men, the best QOL was associated with high socioeconomic conditions and good physical and psychosocial health.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Presidente Antônio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil. campos.acv@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ana Cristina Viana
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Presidente Antônio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil. efigeniaf@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Efigênia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferreira e Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Presidente Antônio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil. vargasnt@task.com.br.
authors.forename: Andréa Maria Duarte
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.affiliation: Unidad Nutrición, Salud Pública y Envejecimiento Saludable, INTA, Universidad de Chile, El Líbano 5524 Macul, Santiago, 138-11, Chile. calbala@uchile.cl.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Albala
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012923:Social Class