title: Quality of Life Among Senior Citizens in Bhutan.
abstract: This study explored associations between quality of life (QOL), spirituality, social integration, chronic diseases, and lifetime adversity among people aged 60 years and older in Bhutan. Adults aged 60 to 101 years (n = 337) completed face-to-face interviews. The main measure included the World Health Organization QOL questionnaire and Adverse Childhood Experiences International Questionnaire. The social relationships domain of QOL had the highest mean. Frequent back pain, memory decline, depression, mobility impairment, insomnia, and lung diseases were commonly reported and negatively related to QOL. Compared with women, men reported fewer physical and mental health problems and better QOL. Multivariate analysis revealed that cumulative health problems, psychological distress, and social connectedness contributed significantly to overall QOL. The measure of spirituality was negatively associated with QOL, which is not conclusive and suggests the need for more research especially when the influence of spiritualism is highly visible in the everyday lives of Bhutanese people. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to care for elderly people in Bhutan.
authors.affiliation: 1 Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Australia.|2 Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan, Bhutan.
authors.forename: Nidup
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dorji
authors.affiliation: 1 Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Dunne
authors.affiliation: 1 Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Australia.
authors.forename: Charrlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Seib
authors.affiliation: 3 Pondicherry University, Pondicherry, India.
authors.forename: Sibnath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deb
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001631:Bhutan; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D029181:Spirituality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Bhutan; adverse childhood experiences; elderly people; quality of life; stressful life events