title: The role of social relationships among elderly community-dwelling and nursing-home residents: findings from a quality of life study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In Western countries, older adults' needs are often managed through institutionalization. Based on the assumption that quality of life, particularly social relationships, may be perceived differently according to residential setting, the aims of this study were to compare World Health Organization Quality of Life brief version (WHOQOL-BREF) scores of elderly community-dwelling residents and nursing home residents.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 207 older adults (135 community-dwelling residents, 72 nursing home residents) was evaluated with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), WHOQOL-BREF, and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nursing home residents achieved lower WHOQOL-BREF scores on the physical health scale only (P = 0.002). In a linear regression model, physical score correlated negatively with GDS score (P = 0.0001) and Mini-Mental State Examination score (P = 0.04), but positively with male gender (P = 0.02) and community-dwelling residence (P = 0.001); psychological score correlated negatively with GDS score (P = 0.0001) and being married (P = 0.03), but positively with male gender (P = 0.009) and being unmarried (P = 0.03). The social relationships score correlated negatively with the GDS score (P = 0.0001) and male gender (P = 0.02), but positively with high education level (P = 0.04). The environment score negatively correlated with GDS score (P = 0.0001). In a logistic regression model, living in a nursing home correlated with female gender (P = 0.001), age (P = 0.0001), a lower physical score (P = 0.0001), and a higher social relationships score (P = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Depressive symptoms correlated with low scores in all WHOQOL-BREF domains. The variables that correlated with living conditions in a nursing home were older age, male gender, lower physical domain scores, and higher social relationship scores. Opportunities for socialization in nursing homes may thus improve perception of quality of life in this domain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Padua University, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scocco
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Padua University, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nassuato
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: elderly; environment; institutionalization; nursing home; quality of life; social relations