The Health-Related Quality of Life as Measured with the SF-12v1 in Elderly People Living in Luebeck 2010/11 in Comparison with the German Norm Data in 1994

Abstract

Health-related quality of life (HRQL) is deemed to be a meaningful endpoint when evaluating therapy and prevention interventions. For comparison purposes not only patient data but also representative population samples can serve as reference data. We aim to describe differences between the Luebeck population sample (LBS, year 2010/11) and the German norm population from 1994. Moreover, the influence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension on HRQL is analysed. The LBS is a representative sample of 10 000 elderly people living in Luebeck aged 51-80 years, an age group susceptible to chronic diseases. Not only the SF-12v1, but also the item "actual health status in comparison to the last year" of the SF-36 and a list of comorbidities have been applied. Descriptive statistics are given for age, sex and disease groups. A comparison with data from the DNSP going back to 1994 is made using unstandardised data as well as age- and gender-standardised data. 5 835 individuals (response rate 60%) did participate in the survey (48% male, mean age 63.9 years, SD 7.7). PSC and MSC could be computed for 80% of them. Unstandardised values are 44.3±10.8 for the PSC and 50.4±10.3 for the MSC. Applying standardisation by age and gender, PSC values were comparable between the LBS and DNSP (except for the age group 51-60 years). MSC values were significantly lower in the LBS. The "general health Status" does not significantly differ whereas the "actual health status in comparison to the last year" is significantly lower in the LBS than in the DNSP (p<0.001). The LBS comprises more individuals than older studies in an age group relevant for chronic diseases. RESULTS hint to a comparable physical HRQL but a worse mental HRQL in the current data set. It remains unclear why persons between 51 and 60 years assess their physical HRQL worse than in the DNSP. A further open question is why the "actual health status in comparison to the last year" is assessed more negatively. Changed context conditions in working and social life may have an influence.