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Quality of Life Research

Gepubliceerd in:

01-06-2007 | Original Paper

The relationship between gender, social support, and health-related quality of life in a community-based study in Washington County, Maryland

Auteurs: Lisa Gallicchio, Sandra C. Hoffman, Kathy J. Helzlsouer

Gepubliceerd in: Quality of Life Research | Uitgave 5/2007

Abstract

Objective

Men tend to report higher health-related quality of life (HRQOL) than women of the same age, despite higher mortality rates and lower life expectancy. Social support is one factor related to HRQOL that may contribute to the observed gender difference. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors associated with HRQOL, especially levels of social support, and variation by gender.

Methods

Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze data from 4,498 men and 6,948 women participating in an ongoing community-based cohort study in Washington County, Maryland (CLUE-II).

Results

The results showed that men reported significantly better HRQOL than women. Men reported having higher levels of social support than women, but the magnitude of the association with HRQOL was similar. Having two or less close friends was associated with a statistically significant increase in the odds of reporting poorer HRQOL compared to having 10 or more close friends among both genders (men: OR = 1.49; women: OR = 1.53). Differences in the level of social support did not explain the gender difference in HRQOL.

Conclusions

Our findings show that social support is an important correlate of HRQOL for both men and women. However, the gender differences in HRQOL are not explained by social support or the other factors examined.

vorige artikel The OVIS study: health related quality of life measured by the EORTC QLQ-C30 and -BR23 in German female patients with breast cancer from Schleswig-Holstein

volgende artikel Low level of quality of life in patients with mental and behavioral disorders wanting complementary and alternative (kampo) therapy

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Titel: The relationship between gender, social support, and health-related quality of life in a community-based study in Washington County, Maryland
Auteurs: Lisa Gallicchio
Sandra C. Hoffman
Kathy J. Helzlsouer
Publicatiedatum: 01-06-2007
Uitgeverij: Kluwer Academic Publishers
Gepubliceerd in: Quality of Life Research / Uitgave 5/2007
Print ISSN: 0962-9343
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-2649
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-006-9162-4

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Abstract

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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