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Life satisfaction and frailty in community-based older adults: cross-sectional and prospective analyses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 July 2013

Philip D. St John ,
Suzanne L. Tyas  and
Patrick R. Montgomery
Philip D. St John*
Affiliation:
Section of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, and the Centre on Aging, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Suzanne L. Tyas
Affiliation:
School of Public Health and Health Systems and Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Patrick R. Montgomery
Affiliation:
Vancouver Island Health Authority, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Philip D. St John, Associate Professor, Head, Section of Geriatrics, University of Manitoba, GG 441 Health Sciences Centre, 820 Sherbrook Street, Winnipeg, MB R3A 1R9, Canada. Phone: +1 (204) 787-3365; Fax: +1 (204) 787-4826. Email: pstjohn@hsc.mb.ca.
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Abstract

Background:

Frailty may be associated with reduced life satisfaction (LS). The objectives of this paper are to determine if (1) frailty is associated with LS in community-dwelling older adults in cross-sectional analyses; (2) frailty predicts LS five years later; and (3) specific domains of LS are preferentially associated with frailty.

Methods:

This paper presents analysis of an existing population-based cohort study of 1,751 persons aged 65+ who were assessed in 1991, with follow-up five years later. LS was measured using the terrible–delightful scale, which measures overall LS and LS in specific domains. Frailty was measured using the Brief Frailty Instrument. Analyses were adjusted for age, gender, education, and marital status.

Results:

Frailty was associated with overall LS at time 1 and predicted overall LS at time 2. This was seen in unadjusted analyses and after adjusting for confounding factors. Frailty was associated with all domains of LS at time 1, and predicted LS at time 2 in all domains except housing and self-esteem. However, the effect was stronger for LS with health than with other domains for both times 1 and 2.

Conclusions:

Frailty is associated with LS, and the effect is strongest for LS with health.

Keywords

frailtyaccumulation of deficitslife satisfactionsubjective well-beingquality of life
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 25 , Issue 10 , October 2013 , pp. 1709 - 1716
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2013 

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