Midlife predictors of health-related quality of life in older women

Abstract

Background Midlife represents an important time to evaluate health status and health behaviors that may affect health-related quality of life (HRQL) in later years. This study examines change in women's HRQL over 11 years from ages 47-59 to 57-69 and identifies midlife characteristics that predict HRQL at older ages. Methods Physical (PCS) and mental component summaries (MCS) of the SF-36 were used to assess HRQL from 2002 to 2013 in 2,614 women from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN), a multiethnic/racial cohort study. We used locally weighted scatterplot smoothing (LOESS) models to obtain unadjusted predicted mean trajectories of PCS and MCS as a function of age. Results LOESS predicted PCS declined from 51.6 to 47.1, whereas MCS increased from 49.2 to 53.1. In multivariable models, controlling for baseline PCS, higher baseline physical activity (p =.002) and increase in physical activity from baseline (p