Quality of Life in Elderly Iranian Population Using the QOL-brief Questionnaire: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Due to the increase in the elderly population in different societies, their primary needs, physical and mental health, and quality of life, is important. This study aimed to estimate the overall mean score of the QOL based on the Qol-Brief questionnaire in the elderly population of Iran.

Methods: The international and national databases, including; Medline, Scopus, Science Direct, MagIran, and SID were searched up to Feb 2015. All studies, addressed the quality of life among the healthy Iranian elderly population using WHO-QOL-BRIEF questionnaire, were included. The random effect model was used for data analysis and the results were reported with a 95% confidence.

Results: Out of 2150 studies, seven studies involved 1366 elderly participants were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled mean score of total QOL was 60.1±4.6. The pooled mean score of quality of life for physical health was 55.13 [51.03, 59.22], for environmental was 51.80 [45.50, 58.10], for psychological was 56.68 [53.29, 60.08] and for the social relationship was 57.82 [55.79, 59.86]. The men had a better status and in two health domains, including; physical and psychological health.

Conclusion: The results of this study stress the necessity of attention to the quality of life in the domains of physical health (especially in women), and environmental health in the elderly population.

Keywords: Elderly; Quality of life; Systematic review.

Fig. 1:

Flow chart of study identification process

Fig. 2:

Forest plot of pooled mean score of quality of life in four domains