Abstract
PurposeAging research in Mexico has significantly increased in the past decades, however, little is known on health related quality of life (HRQoL) of older adults. The aim of this study was to expand this field by examining HRQL in a representative sample of Jewish older adults in Mexico, and to investigate its association with different factors.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional survey of a random sample of community dwelling Jewish men and women aged 60 years and older. HRQoL was measured using the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Bivariate analysis was performed to estimate the association of scores of HRQoL and different characteristics of the study sample and multiple linear regression models were estimated using ordinary least squares (OLS), to explore determinant factors associated to HRQoL in this sample, for the eight domains of the SF-36 sub-scales separately.ResultsTwo hundred ninety-five older persons were interviewed. Mean age was 72.7 years (SD 7.9), men made up 57% of the sample, 67% were married and 52% reported living with another person, mostly the spouse. Higher HRQoL was associated with higher educational attainment, being married, and having higher social support, while lower HRQoL was associated with being widowed, in worse financial situation, having chronic diseases and being in the oldest age groups.ConclusionsFindings show that gender, socioeconomic level, educational attainment, marital status as well as social support & community participation are relevant factors influencing HRQoL in our study sample. With respect to the SF-36 subscales, HRQoL of Jewish older adults in Mexico present higher scores than that of adults and older adults previously found in other studies in Mexico. Further studies comparing other characteristics among them could help bring further understanding of these differentiated ageing processes.
Highlights
Mexico is going through a demographic transition that is leading to a rapidly ageing population
Information provided by the Mexican Jewish Central Committee (MJCC) stated 43,000 Jews living in Mexico City and its metropolitan area (MCMA) in the year 2014, of which 22% (n = 9460) were adults 60 years and older
Mean age was 72.7 years (SD 7.9), most of the interviewees were married or partnered (67.4%), and educational attainment was high compared with older persons at national level with an average of 13 years of formal schooling (SD 4.3 years)
Summary
Mexico is going through a demographic transition that is leading to a rapidly ageing population. This process has occurred in parallel to fundamental social and economic changes. QoL is a broad concept that includes general and individual characteristics and has diverse definitions and valuation methods. It is a multidimensional concept that generally includes objective and subjective domains, is related to the individual’s perception of his or her position in life within the context of her or his culture and value system and with relation to his or her goals, expectations and principles [2,3,4]. There is no universal definition of QoL, and given its multidimensional nature, its valuation or measurement has to inquire a wide range of domains of personal life such as physical and psychosocial wellbeing, functional status and disability, among others [5]
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