Abstract
BackgroundAssessing quality of life among the elderly is a complex and multifaceted issue. Elderly people might find valuing and describing their personal experience of quality of life (QoL) demanding and cumbersome. This study therefore sought to determine the feasibility of administering two questionnaires in two samples of elderly people.MethodsA preference-based instrument (EQ-5D + C) and a currently achieved functioning questionnaire (CAF) were utilized. Two pilot studies were performed. The first was performed in South Africa (n = 30), designed to test whether elderly respondents could complete and understand the two questionnaires and also to indicate which valuation method, visual analogue scale or time trade off they preferred. A second pilot study was performed in the Netherlands (n = 30), designed to investigate the use of both questionnaires in determining quality of life and health state valuations in a Dutch sample of elderly.ResultsSeventy percent of the South African respondents indicated that they preferred the visual analogue scale (VAS) method, when compared to the time trade-off (TTO). In both the South African and the Dutch pilot studies, the respondents, with different dependency levels, were able to use both questionnaires to determine health state descriptions and valuations. When ranking the profiles from fewer to more problems, the EQ-5D + C exhibits a gradual downwards trend, with a maximum of 100 and minimum VAS value of 41. The CAF also exhibits a gradual downwards trend, with a maximum of 1.00 and minimum VAS value of 36.ConclusionsThe results indicate that individuals from different parts of the world are able to complete, describe, and value the questionnaires. It is our recommendation that a comprehensive study should be done, which includes both the EQ-5D + C questionnaire and the CAF questionnaire, since the two questionnaires have proven to be feasible in providing information on quality of life and well-being of elderly people.
Highlights
Assessing quality of life among the elderly is a complex and multifaceted issue
An extract from the research done by the authors summarizes what was done: “This paper reports an attempt to determine attributes for a new index clearly focusing on quality of life for older people rather than health or other influences on quality of life
The results of the study support the feasibility of the method used in this study. This signals the necessity for a larger study to generate health state valuations and descriptions from the elderly
Summary
Assessing quality of life among the elderly is a complex and multifaceted issue. People might find valuing and describing their personal experience of quality of life (QoL) demanding and cumbersome. Aging is a personal process that includes both positive and negative experiences [1]. Quality of life (QoL) is one popular outcome measurement used in assessing the effects of aging on what people judge to be important in their lives. Some concerns have been raised with regard to its use among the elderly. Applying a totally different conceptual framework such as the capability approach [10] might prove to be a very effective way of defining actual disability, as well as for investigating the valuation of functioning as disability continues [11]
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