Abstract
PurposeTo assess validity and reliability of the Vitor Quality of Life Scale for the Elderly (VITOR QLSE).MethodsA sociodemographic questionnaire, a mental status questionnaire, the VITOR QLSE, the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument old module (WHOQOL-OLD), and the Baptista Depression Scale adult version (EBADEP-A) were administered to a non-probabilistic sample of 617 elderly persons living in Brazil. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to reduce the 70 items of the first version of the VITOR QLSE. Construct validity was then evaluated; the VITOR QLSE was tested against the WHOQOL-OLD and EBADEP-A. One hundred and ninety-two randomly selected participants completed the instrument again 7–15 days after the first interview, providing a test–retest reliability estimate.ResultsExploratory factor analysis reduced the 70 items to 48 items grouped into six domains: autonomy and psychological, environment, physical independence, family, health, and social domains. The total explained variance was 39.46 %. Cronbach’s alpha for overall reliability was 0.93 and ranged from 0.79 for health to 0.90 for physical independence. Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) was 0.76 for test–retest reliability, and 0.56 and −0.57 for the correlation of VITOR QLSE scores with those of the WHOQOL-OLD and EBADEP-A, respectively.ConclusionThe final version of the VITOR QLSE has 48 items grouped into six domains and shows adequate validity and reliability. The rapid aging of the population and reduced number of instruments in the Latin America, and more specifically in Brazil, assessing quality of life in the elderly justify the development of a valid and reliable tool.
Highlights
The rapid aging of the population in developing countries has become a current topic of interest, especially when it relates to the planning and allocation of public health resources for the care of the elderly (Jobim et al 2010)
The correlation coefficients between overall quality of life and domains of the VITOR QLSE were greater than those reported by Pereira et al (2006) for the Brazilian version of the WHOQOL-OLD
As in the VITOR QLSE, the results showed that quality of life is not a unidimensional construct
Summary
The rapid aging of the population in developing countries has become a current topic of interest, especially when it relates to the planning and allocation of public health resources for the care of the elderly (Jobim et al 2010). The reduction of birth rates, increase in longevity, and declines in fertility and mortality have resulted in a sharp increase in the population aged 60 years and over. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately two billion people in this age group will be living worldwide in 2050, and most of them in developing countries. Estimates indicate that 34 million people aged 80 years and over will be living in Brazil by 2025 Projections have indicated that by 2025, Brazil will become the sixth country in the world with the largest elderly population (about 34 million people aged 80 years and over), which will correspond to approximately 15 % of the Brazilian population (Rezende et al 2009; Nunes et al 2010)
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