O-41 Factors associated with quality of life among elderly Bahamians attending selected primary care clinics in New Providence, Bahamas: a cross-sectional study
Author(s):
D Thurston-Dorsett, I Grimes, S Pinder-Butler, A Blake
Year of Presentation:
2026
Objective: To assess the QoL and the factors associated
with QoL among elderly Bahamians attending selected primary care clinics in New Providence, Bahamas.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted of patients aged 65 years and older. A face-to-face, interviewer-administered, 25-item survey was utilized, including socio-demographic information and the Older People’s Quality of Life (OPQOL) – brief questionnaire. Data was analyzed using Stata version 16. Descriptive and inferential statistics were calculated using a 95% confidence interval, and bivariate and multilinear regression models were used to determine associations of interest and predictors of QoL.
Results: Among 367 participants (mean age 74.0 ± 6.5 years), 95% reported fair or better QoL (mean QoL score 56.0 ± 5.82). Significant associations with QOL included: marital status (married), education level (tertiary), crowded living conditions, dementia, depression, CKD, CVD, and daily alcohol use. Multilinear regression identified four positive predictors: marital status (married), living with family, and secondary/tertiary education. Five negative predictors were identified: crowded living conditions, depression, CKD, family as main income source, and daily alcohol use (adjusted R²=0.20, p<0.001).
Conclusion: Mental health, chronic noncommunicable diseases, and socioeconomic factors have a strong impact on QoL. A concentrated effort at all levels of society must be made to concentrate on these crucial areas if QoL is to be preserved or improved with increasing age.