Quality of life in Iranian elderly population using the SF-36 questionnaire: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: Ageing is a major known risk factor that is a threat to human health. To date, many studies have investigated quality of life (QOL) among the elderly population in the Islamic Republic of Iran. However, their results were inconsistent. Aims: We designed this systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the overall mean score of QOL based on the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36) among the Iranian elderly population. Methods: We searched international databases (Medline, Scopus and Science Direct) and national databases (Science In-formation Database, MagIran, IranMedex and Irandoc) up to February 2015. We included all cross-sectional studies that evaluated QOL among the Iranian elderly population using SF-36. Results: Of 2150 studies identified, 15 were included in the meta-analysis. The mean scores for QOL in the 8 scales were: 47.58, 51.75, 55.42, 55.78, 59.55, 51.54, 47.85 and 51.31 for physical-role, physical function, mental health, bodily pain, social functioning, emotional-role, general health, and vitality, respectively. Conclusions: Our results indicated that health-related QOL decreased with increasing age. QOL was worse in women than in men, especially in physical-role and general health scales. Elderly people who lived in a nursing home had lower QOL than those who lived in their own home. So, health policy-makers should design comprehensive programmes to improve health-related QOL for the Iranian elderly population.