Abstract
BackgroundThis paper describes the psychometric properties of the WHOQOL-OLD, an add-on module to the World Health Organization's Quality of Life measure for older people in a South African sample. The WHOQOL-OLD module was further condensed into three short versions which contain the best items of the original module. The psychometric properties associated with the three short versions of the WHOQOL-OLD are also described.MethodData were collected from Afrikaans-speaking older people (n=176) residing in long-term care facilities in Potchefstroom, situated in the North-West province of South Africa. The mean age of participants was 77 years (SD=8.1). Fifty participants were males and 126 were females. All reported average-to-good health and cognitive ability.ResultsThe current study found encouraging results related to the original factor structure of the WHOQOL-OLD as well as the three short versions of this instrument. Results stemming from the data of the current sample seem to be a good fit with the original factor structure of the WHOQOL-OLD. The reliabilities associated with the various sub-dimensions point to a reliable instrument.ConclusionsThe WHOQOL-OLD with its 24 items or any of the three short versions of this instrument can, therefore, be utilised in a South African context (Version 3 of the short versions seems to be the better fitting version).
Highlights
This paper describes the psychometric properties of the WHOQOL-OLD, an add-on module to the World Health Organization’s Quality of Life measure for older people in a South African sample
On par with studies in other countries such as Norway [24], Brazil [28], and the United Kingdom [27], the aim of this study is to describe the reliability of the WHOQOL-OLD and the short versions of the module by means of analysing the metric properties thereof based on research conducted in a South African sample of older people residing in long-term care facilities
The research instrument Scale description Under the auspices of the World Health Organization Quality of Life group, a collaborative effort amongst numerous researchers from various countries has led to the development of a measure focusing on the quality of life (QoL) in older population cohorts [29]
Summary
This paper describes the psychometric properties of the WHOQOL-OLD, an add-on module to the World Health Organization’s Quality of Life measure for older people in a South African sample. The psychometric properties associated with the three short versions of the WHOQOLOLD are described. Results: The current study found encouraging results related to the original factor structure of the WHOQOL-OLD as well as the three short versions of this instrument. Results stemming from the data of the current sample seem to be a good fit with the original factor structure of the WHOQOL-OLD. Conclusions: The WHOQOL-OLD with its 24 items or any of the three short versions of this instrument can, be utilised in a South African context (Version 3 of the short versions seems to be the better fitting version)
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