A Study on Physical Symptom, Activity of Daily Living, and Health-Related
Quality of Life (HRQoL) in the Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Shin, Kyung-Rim; Byeon, Young Soon; Kang, Younhee; Oak, Jiwon

doi:10.4040/jkan.2008.38.3.437

J Korean Acad Nurs. 2008 Jun;38(3):437-444. Korean.
Published online Jun 30, 2008.
https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2008.38.3.437

Original Article

A Study on Physical Symptom, Activity of Daily Living, and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in the Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Kyung-Rim Shin,¹ Young Soon Byeon,¹ Younhee Kang,² and Jiwon Oak³

Author information

Author notes

Copyright and License

- ¹Professor, College of Nursing Science, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea.
- ²Assistant Professor, College of Nursing Science, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea.
- ³Post-doc fellow, College of Nursing Science, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea.
Address reprint requests to: Shin, Kyung-Rim. College of Nursing Science, Ewha Womans University, 11-1 Daehyeon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-750, Korea. Tel: 82-2-3277-2886, Fax: 82-2-3277-2850, Email: krshin@ewha.ac.kr

Received December 10, 2007; Accepted April 30, 2008.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to identify the relationships among physical symptoms, activities of daily living, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods

A stratified random sampling method was conducted to recruit participants from May 10 to August 17, 2007. Physical symptoms were measured using the Physical Health Questionnaire (PHQ), activities of daily living using the Late-Life Functional and Disability Instrument (LLFDI), and HRQoL using the Medical Outcomes Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) in 242 community-dwelling elderly Korean people.

Results

The HRQoL correlates with the physical symptoms (r=-.31) and the function component (r=.59). Of the two disability parts of the LLFDI, the limitation dimension correlates higher (r=.57) with HRQoL than the frequency dimension (r=.42). The HRQoL is significantly associated with the function component, and disability limitation in capability which explained 44.4% of variance in physical health.

Conclusion

These results may contribute to a better understanding of physical symptoms, activities of daily living, and HRQoL in community-dwelling older adults. Therefore, health programs for prompting older adult's health should be planned based on results of the study.

Keywords

Symptoms; Activities of daily living; Quality of life

Tables

Table 1
General Characteristic of Participants (N=242)

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Table 2
Summary of Descriptive Statistics for Study Variables (N=242)

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Table 3
The Health-Related Quality of Life according to General Characteristics (N=242)

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Table 4
Relationships among the Characteristics (N=242)

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Table 5
Influencing Factors on Health-Related Quality of Life (N=242)

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Notes

The investigators of this work were supported by the Second Stage of Brain Korea Project.

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