Faculty of Health, Sports and Social Work, Inholland University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Zonnehuisgroep Amstelland, Amstelveen, the Netherlands.
Gerontologist. 2018 Jan 18;58(1):101-110. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnx051.
Environmental factors play an important role in the quality of life of older people who often have difficulty maintaining physical, psychological, and social functioning. In this study, we aimed at (a) developing a measurement instrument assessing the factors of older adults' perceptions of their environment, (b) examining the associations of these environmental factors with quality of life domains physical health, psychological, social relations, and environmental, controlling for background characteristics.
Associations between environmental factors and quality of life domains were examined in a cross-sectional study using a sample of 1,031 Dutch people aged 65 years and older. Participants completed a Web-based questionnaire, the "Senioren Barometer." Forty-two questions on environmental factors were asked, and quality of life domains were assessed by the WHOQOL-BREF.
Seven scales (comprising 3-9 items) of environment were constructed-housing, facilities, nuisance, residents, neighborhood, stench/noise, and traffic. All quality of life domains (physical, psychological, social, environmental) were associated with at least one environmental scale. Housing, residents, and nuisance were associated with 4, 3, and 2 domains, respectively. Facilities, neighborhood, stench/noise, and traffic were associated only with quality of life environmental.
This study showed that multiple environmental factors are associated with quality of life in older people. To support independent living in older people health and social care professionals and policymakers may need to carry out interventions, in particular focusing on housing, residents, and nuisance.
环境因素在老年人的生活质量中起着重要作用，老年人往往难以维持身体、心理和社会功能。本研究旨在：(a) 开发一种测量工具，评估老年人对环境因素的感知；(b) 检验这些环境因素与生活质量领域（身体健康、心理、社会关系和环境）之间的关联，控制背景特征。
使用荷兰 1031 名 65 岁及以上老年人的样本进行横断面研究，检验环境因素与生活质量领域之间的关联。参与者完成了一份基于网络的问卷，即“老年人晴雨表”。询问了 42 个关于环境因素的问题，生活质量领域由 WHOQOL-BREF 评估。
构建了七个环境量表（包含 3-9 个项目）——住房、设施、滋扰、居民、邻里、恶臭/噪音和交通。所有生活质量领域（身体、心理、社会、环境）都与至少一个环境量表相关。住房、居民和滋扰分别与 4、3 和 2 个领域相关，而设施、邻里、恶臭/噪音和交通仅与生活质量环境相关。
本研究表明，多种环境因素与老年人的生活质量相关。为了支持老年人的独立生活，卫生和社会保健专业人员以及政策制定者可能需要进行干预，特别是要关注住房、居民和滋扰。
