title: Five years from now: correlates of older people's expectation of future quality of life.
abstract: Few studies have explored older people's expected future quality of life (QoL), despite evidence that perceptions of one's future influence healthy aging. Research on this topic should embrace a range of potential influences, including perceptions of one's neighborhood and region. This study examined expected QoL in a random sample of the population of Dalarna, a Swedish region. A self-completion questionnaire assessed demographic characteristics, current neighborhood and regional evaluations, self-evaluations, expectations for the future, and current and expected QoL. In total, 786 people aged ≥65 years participated. A sequential multiple regression model explained 44% of the variance in older people's expected QoL, with self-reported health (sr (2) = .03), Expected Regional Opportunity (sr (2) = .03), and Perceived Regional Status (sr (2) = .02) having the strongest associations with expected QoL. Research on the importance of one's neighborhood to QoL in older people should encompass people's perceptions of their region, to better inform social policy for healthy aging.
authors: School of Health and Social Studies, Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden kmc@du.se.
authors: Kevin J
authors: KJ
authors: McKee
authors: Dalacampus, Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden.
authors: Johan
authors: J
authors: Kostela
authors: School of Health and Social Studies, Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet/Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Lena
authors: L
authors: Dahlberg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012424:Rural Population; D057566:Self Report; D012931:Social Environment; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: expected quality of life; neighborhood context; older people; place attachment; quality of life; social influence