The effects of healthy lifestyle on the quality of life among elderly

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine healthy lifestyle behaviors and their effect on the quality of life among elderly people living in Yenimahalle district of Ankara.

Methods: In the study, a questionnaire was applied to 382 elderly people living in Yenimahalle district of Ankara and accepting to participate in the survey between March-May 2016. The questionnaire consists of questions related to socio-demographic characteristics and health status of elderly and Healthy Lifestyle Composite Scale, World Health Organization Quality of LifeAgeing Module (WHOQOL-AGE). Data were analyzed with Chi-Square Test, Independent Samples T test, one-way analysis of variance and binary logistic regression analysis.

Results: Of 382 elderly people included to the study, 53,7% were female, mean age was 69,80±4,55 years and 36,9% of the participants had educational degree lower high school. 27% of participants had healthy lifestyle behaviours according to “Healthy Lifestyle Composite Scale” score. When healthy lifestyle behaviors of participants were evaluated it was seen that 87,7% of them didn’t have excessive alcohol consumption, and 70,2% slept at least 7 hours a day. It was found that women, married, those graduated from the University, those having good economic status and those who rated their health as good had more healthy lifestyle behaviors than other groups (p<0,05). In analysis, to have lower monthly income (OR=2,30), to work in any job before (OR=1,57), to rate their health as bad (OR=1,18) or moderate (OR=1,103), to not apply for health care services because of economic reasons (OR=4,50), inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption (OR=4,652) and to not do exercise regularly (OR=1,894) were defined as the important risk factors for low quality of life (p<0,05).

Conclusion: It has been concluded that healthy lifestyle behaviors of elderly people, especially fruit and vegetable consumption and regularly doing exercise, were determined as an important determinant of the quality of life.