Jiajun Qiao, Yiwei Qiao, Jialong Tan, Nuo Chen, Nan Peng, Zongfu Mao, Yali Zhao, Chen Chen, Yao Yao
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Entering the age of 80 or 100, individuals' functional decline and the need for assistance in daily activities increase dramatically, resulting in an inevitable increase in unmet long-term care (LTC) needs. Understanding unmet LTC needs in late life and their association with quality of life is essential for effective health planning and resource allocation. We aim to estimate the prevalence of unmet needs for LTC and the association of unmet needs for LTC and Health-related Quality of life (HRQOL), among the Chinese oldest-old population.
Methods: Data were drawn from the 2017 China Hainan Centenarian Cohort Study. All centenarians and a representative sample of individuals aged between 80 and 99 years old in Hainan province, China were included. Self-perceived unmet LTC needs were reported by the respondents. EQ-5D score was calculated from EQ-5D-3L questionnaire to measure HRQOL in this study. We conducted Tobit regression and the Ordered Probit Model to examine the cross-sectional associations between unmet needs for LTC and HRQOL.
Results: 1,444 respondents (mean age 95.75 years [SD 9.13]) were included. The prevalence of unmet LTC needs was 32.69%, and it was higher in rural residents and people with economic deprivation. The results showed that oldest-old individuals with unmet needs for LTC reported lower QALY scores (β=-0.04, p < 0.01). In addition, Unmet LTC needs were significantly correlated with poorer outcomes in mobility (β = 0.18, p < 0.05), self-care (β = 0.19, p < 0.05), pain or discomfort (β = 0.27, p < 0.01), and anxiety or depression (β = 0.09, p < 0.01).
Conclusions: The prevalence of unmet LTC needs was higher in China than its counterpart in high-income countries, especially among those with socio-economic deprivation. Individuals with unmet LTC needs experience lower quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and higher levels of disabilities across multiple dimensions of health, including mobility, usual activities, self-care, pain/discomfort and depression/anxiety. These findings underscore the importance of addressing unmet LTC needs to improve the overall health outcomes and quality of life for the oldest-old population.
期刊介绍:
Health and Quality of Life Outcomes is an open access, peer-reviewed, journal offering high quality articles, rapid publication and wide diffusion in the public domain.
Health and Quality of Life Outcomes considers original manuscripts on the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) assessment for evaluation of medical and psychosocial interventions. It also considers approaches and studies on psychometric properties of HRQOL and patient reported outcome measures, including cultural validation of instruments if they provide information about the impact of interventions. The journal publishes study protocols and reviews summarising the present state of knowledge concerning a particular aspect of HRQOL and patient reported outcome measures. Reviews should generally follow systematic review methodology. Comments on articles and letters to the editor are welcome.