Attitudes to ageing and their relationship with quality of life in older adults in Turkey.

Abstract

With the increase in life expectancy, it has become necessary to expand our knowledge of how older individuals perceive their own ageing and how ageing affects their quality of life. The aim of the study was to determine older adults' attitudes towards ageing and the relationship between attitudes and quality of life among community-dwelling older adults in Turkey. This cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted in Zonguldak, Turkey. The sample included 999 community-dwelling older adults, who were selected from five family health centres. The data were collected between April and June 2015 by using the Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument-Older Adults Module. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to test the predictive value of attitude to ageing on quality of life. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the subscales of Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire (psychosocial loss (β = -0.289), physical change (β = 0.296), and psychological growth (β = 0.279)) were statistically significant predictors of quality of life. Attitudes to ageing explained 46.6% of the quality of life among community-dwelling older adults in Turkey (R2 = 0.466). The significant impact of attitudes to ageing on quality of life suggests the need for better recognition of attitudes to ageing in older adults.