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Lifetime traumatic events, health-related quality of life, and satisfaction with life in older adults

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Abstract

Purposes

The aims were to assess the association between lifetime traumatic events and post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSS) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and satisfaction with life stratified by gender among a community-dwelling sample of older adults.

Methods

Data used came from the ESA-Services study (2011–2013) and included a large convenience sample of 1811 older adults. Traumatic events were measured using a list of 14 events. PTSS was measured using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised. HRQOL and life satisfaction were measured with the EQ-5D-3L and the Satisfaction With Life Scale. Multivariate regression analyses were used to assess the association between traumatic events, PTSS, and quality of life.

Results

Respondents had a mean age of 73.90 years (SD: 6.13, range 65–97). Our results showed that exposure to violence (OR 4.88, CI 2.72–8.77), an accident (OR 2.33, CI 1.29–4.22), and sexual abuse (OR 2.26 CI 1.17–4.37) was associated with PTSS only in women. No traumatic event was associated only in men. The interaction between gender and exposure to violence and life-threatening disease of a close one was significant. Experiencing violence (β = −0.04, p < 0.01), a natural disaster (β = −0.04, p = 0.02), a life-threatening disease (β = −0.04, p < 0.01), and sexual abuse (β = −0.04, p < 0.01) were associated with a lower HRQOL only in women. No traumatic event was associated in men. Interactions between event and gender were significant for natural disaster, life-threatening disease of a close one, sexual abuse, and other type of traumatic events. A life-threatening disease (β = −0.90, p < 0.01) was associated with a reduced life satisfaction only in men and the exposure of violence (β = −1.18, p < 0.01) was associated with lower life satisfaction in women.

Conclusion

Our study could help healthcare professionals to identify and monitor traumatic events that are at higher risk to be associated with PTSS and a lower quality of life for older men and women.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Michel Préville, the PI of the ESA-Services Study cycle 1. Dr. Préville devoted his career to the mental health of older adults and was a pioneer in his field. He passed away in March 2016. The authors also thank Djamal Berbiche, PhD., for statistical support.

Funding

The ESA-Services Study cycle 1 was funded by the Fonds de la Recherche Québec – Santé (FRQS) (Reference number: 16000).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sherbrooke, 150 Place Charles-Le Moyne, Longueuil, QC, J4K 0A8, Canada

    Catherine Lamoureux-Lamarche & Helen-Maria Vasiliadis

  2. Research Centre, Charles-Le Moyne Hospital, 150 Place Charles-Le Moyne, Bureau 200, Longueuil, QC, J4K 0A8, Canada

    Catherine Lamoureux-Lamarche & Helen-Maria Vasiliadis

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  1. Catherine Lamoureux-Lamarche
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Correspondence to Catherine Lamoureux-Lamarche.

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Conflict of interest

Ms. Lamoureux-Lamarche was supported by a graduate doctoral research scholarship from the Fonds de la Recherche Québec—Santé (FRQS) in partnership with the Unite Soutien SRAP, Québec. Dr. Vasiliadis was supported as a Senior Research Scientist of the Fonds de la Recherche Québec—Santé (FRQS).

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Lamoureux-Lamarche, C., Vasiliadis, HM. Lifetime traumatic events, health-related quality of life, and satisfaction with life in older adults. Qual Life Res 26, 2683–2692 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-017-1593-6

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