The Quality of Life of Seniors Hospitalized Due to Cardiovascular Diseases in Poland

Katarzyna Sygit,Marian Sygit,Katarzyna Siedlecka-Pasierbiak,Elżbieta Cipora

doi:10.3390/ijerph17103721

Abstract

Introduction: In the light of the increased ageing of the world population, social policy needs to be focused on actions aimed at improving the quality of life of older people. Objective: The main objective of this study was to assess the quality of life in a population of seniors hospitalized due to cardiovascular disease. Materials and methods: The study included 408 elderly patients hospitalized for cardiovascular diseases in the Poddębickie Centrum Zdrowia Hospital in Poddębice, Łódzkie voivodship, Poland. The study used two survey questionnaires: the author’s survey questionnaire and the standardized SF36v2 Questionnaire. Statistical analysis of the obtained test results was carried out in the R program, version 3.5.1. Results: Having analyzed the health status of the study group, it was found that the largest group of subjects (84.07%) were treated due to hypertension. Among the ailments that hindered daily functioning, the respondents indicated primarily poor eyesight (53.68%). Patients assessed their own health as ‘mediocre’ (average) (58.58%). The analysis of the study results from the SF36v2 Questionnaire showed that the highest quality of life was in the limited activity due to emotional problems (RE) dimension, social functioning (SF), and physical functioning (PF); the weakest scores were observed in vitality (VT), general health perception (GH), and health transition (HT) dimensions. Conclusions: The significant demographic, social and socio-medical factors that determined respondents’ quality of life were: age, gender, marital status, education and health situation. The analysis of quality of life according to the SF36v2 Questionnaire showed that the study group functioned better in the mental dimension (MCS—mental component summary, overall mental health) than in the physical one (PCS—physical component summary, total physical health).

Highlights

In the light of the increased ageing of the world population, social policy needs to be focused on actions aimed at improving the quality of life of older people
The structure of marital status of the studied population was as follows: the largest group comprised married people—222 people (54.41%), followed by widows and widowers—92 people (22.55%), the divorced—50 people (12.25%), single people—26 people (6.37%), while cohabitation partners accounted for 10 people (2.45%)
Analysis of the results found that X correlates significantly and negatively with the quality of life in the physical functioning (PF), RP, bodily pain (BP), VT, social functioning (SF), RE, physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) dimensions; the older the age of the respondents, the lower the quality of life in these dimensions (Table 5)

Summary

Introduction

In the light of the increased ageing of the world population, social policy needs to be focused on actions aimed at improving the quality of life of older people. Objective: The main objective of this study was to assess the quality of life in a population of seniors hospitalized due to cardiovascular disease. Materials and methods: The study included 408 elderly patients hospitalized for cardiovascular diseases in the Poddebickie Centrum Zdrowia Hospital in Poddebice, Łódzkie voivodship, Poland. Germany and Greece are leaders among countries with the highest senior citizen proportion, i.e., people aged 65+ in the general population [1,2,3]. The oldest age group (80+), which today amounts to about 4% of the general population, needs to be considered. According to Eurostat, it will reach almost 10% of the general population in 2050 [1]

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Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion