Health-related quality of life among older adults with activity-limiting health conditions

This article examines the frequency of self-reported activity limitation due to thirteen common health conditions among older adults, as well as the relationship of these conditions to health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Subjects included 84,065 individuals, enrolled in Pennsylvania's Pharmaceutical Assistance for the Elderly program, who completed a mail version of the CDC's Health Related Quality of Life Modules. Approximately 44% of subjects reported health-related activity limitation. The most commonly reported activity-limiting conditions were arthritis (14%), heart problems (13%), and walking problems (8%). In analyses adjusted for demographic factors and comorbidity, activity limitation correlated with low scores on all HRQOL variables, including general health, mental health, physical health, and/or sleep (p < 0.05). Furthermore, each specific health condition correlated with significantly lower HRQOL scores (p < 0.05). Older adults with health-related activity limitation are likely to be experiencing marked reductions in HRQOL and should be targeted for interventions aimed at improving quality of life.