Abstract
To analyze the association between self-esteem and quality of life in the elderly. Cross-sectional web survey developed with 519 elderly people. Participants filled out three data collection instruments developed on the Google Forms platform and widely disseminated through all of Brazil. Fisher's exact test, Mann-Whitney, Pearson correlation, and linear regression with 95% confidence interval were used. Self-esteem was associated with all quality-of-life facets: sensory skills [β= 1.307; p<0.001]; autonomy [β= 2.101; p<0.001]; past, present, and future activities [β= 2.486; p<0.001]; social presence [β= 2.547; p<0.001]; death and dying [β= 2.175; p<0.001]; and intimacy [β=2.378; p<0.001]. There is a positive and statistically significant association between self-esteem and quality of life in the elderly. We therefore suggest the development of local policies capable of raising this age groups' self-esteem and reaffirming aging as a new possibility for discoveries and pleasure.
Highlights
In Brazil, an“elder”is a person aged 60 years or over[1]
Our study considered the definition of quality of life (QoL) proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO), which defines it as “the individual’s perception of their position in life, in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards, and concerns” . [10] considering the impacts of the aging process and the need to promote quality to the years to come, the hypothesis of this study is that self-esteem is positively associated with the QoL of the elderly
Among the 519 participants, there was a higher prevalence of elderly males (n = 354; 68.2%); aged between 60 and 64 years (n = 257; 49.5%); of the Catholic religion (n = 258; 49.7%); selfdeclared white (n = 340; 65.5%); with complete higher education (n = 196; 37.8%); married (n = 313; 60.3%); who live with their spouse for over 20 years (n = 293; 56.5%); heterosexuals (n = 445; 85.7%); who do not live with their children (n = 339; 65.3%); and reside in the Southeast region of the country (n = 239; 46.1%)
Summary
In Brazil, an“elder”is a person aged 60 years or over[1]. Currently, the country has a population of more than 28 million elderly people, which represents 13% of the population, according to data from the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) [Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics](2). The aging process is an active, progressive, and intrinsic phenomenon, being accompanied by several physical and psychophysiological changes that can result in unsatisfactory repercussions on the adaptive capacity of the elderly to the environment in which they live[4] and, affect their self-esteem. It is a construct that shows how much the individuals like themselves, how they see themselves, and what they think about themselves[4], becoming a sense of self-worth and self-acceptance[5] It is considered an important indicator of mental health, so there is a need for strategies that favor its increase considering the health of the elderly and the prevention of mental disorders[5]. This is because the positive self-assessment reflects good mental health and provides greater security and confidence to the elderly, which, in turn, contributes to an adjusted life[6]
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