Abstract
Purpose
To systematically compare, via ranking and best worst tasks, the relative importance of key dimensions of quality of life for younger and older people.
Methods
A web-based survey was developed for administration to two Australia-wide community-based samples comprising younger people aged 18–64 years and older people aged 65 years and above. Respondents were asked to rank 12 quality of life dimensions. Respondents also completed a successive best worst task using the same 12 quality of life dimensions.
Results
The relative importance of the quality of life dimensions differed for younger and older person samples. For older people, the ability to be independent and to have control over their daily lives were particularly important for their overall quality of life whereas for younger people, mental health was considered most important.
Conclusions
Many interventions accessed by older people in geriatric medicine and aged care sectors have a broader impact upon quality of life beyond health status. The findings from this study indicate that a focus on broader aspects of quality of life may also be consistent with the preferences of older people themselves as to what constitutes quality of life from their perspective.
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Acknowledgements
This study was funded in part by an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant (LP110200079).
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Julie Ratcliffe declares that she has no conflicts of interest. Emily Lancsar declares that she has no conflicts of interest. Thomas Flint declares that he has no conflicts of interest. Billingsley Kaambwa declares that he has no conflicts of interest. Ruth Walker declares that she has no conflicts of interest. Gill Lewin declares that she has no conflicts of interest. Mary Luszcz declares that she has no conflicts of interest. Ian Cameron declares that he has no conflicts of interest.
Ethical approval
This study was approved by Flinders Social and Behavioural Research Ethics Committee (Project no: 6682). 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. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
Appendix: Categorisation of Quality of Life dimensions according to MAUI content
Appendix: Categorisation of Quality of Life dimensions according to MAUI content
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Ratcliffe, J., Lancsar, E., Flint, T. et al. Does one size fit all? Assessing the preferences of older and younger people for attributes of quality of life. Qual Life Res 26, 299–309 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-016-1391-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-016-1391-6