Perceptions and predictors of health-related quality of life among aging adults who stutter: a first glimpse

Abstract

ABSTRACT Quality of life among adults who stutter (AWS) is well-studied but little is known about health-related quality of life, an index of successful aging. The study’s aim was to begin documenting perceptions and predictors of physical and mental health quality of life (PH-, MH-QoL) among aging AWS. Forty AWS (50-84 years old) in the United States completed the SF-36 survey of PH- and MH-QoL, and were surveyed on potential explanatory variables including resilience, social resources, health-promoting behavior, socioeconomic status, perceptions of aging, social risk, identity management, neuroticism, stuttering severity, and difficulty communicating. The prevalence of very low PH- and MH-QoL scores was compared against age- and gender-graded population norms. Finally, PH- and MH-QoL scores were regressed onto explanatory variables. Relatively few aging AWS had very low PH-QoL scores. A non-trivial subset of aging AWS had very low MH-QoL scores. Greater awareness of aging-related loss predicted lower PH- and MH-QoL. Greater neuroticism also predicted lower MH-QoL. Greater resilience predicted better MH-QoL. If replicable, results would suggest few aging AWS are at-risk for very low PH-QoL while more aging AWS are at-risk for very low MH-QoL. Predictors of PH- and MH-QoL may inform strategies for successful aging among AWS.