PURPOSE This purpose of this study was to identify the factors related to the health related quality of life among institutionalized elders. METHODS The subjects were 247 elders institutionalized among one of the four nursing homes in Busan. Data were collected through interview with four standardized questionnaires from August to October, 2008. Questionnaires were related to health related quality of life (SmithKline Beecham's Quality of Life scale, SBQoL), quality of sleep(Pittsburgh Sleep Quality index, PSQI), activity of daily living (Katz ADL Index), and depression (Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form Korea, GDSSF-K). Data were analyzed for descriptive analysis, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression by using SPSS/WIN 17.0 program. RESULTS The mean HRQoL in the subjects was 6.62 +/- 0.91. Percentage of the respondents reporting sleep disorders were 72.5% and 27.1% reported being vulnerable to depression. The significant predictors of the HRQoL were sleep quality, activity of daily living (ADL), level of education, and depression. The factors accounted for 28.8% of variance in the health related quality of life of institutionalized elders. CONCLUSION Sleep quality, activity of daily living, and depression need to be considered as the important control factors for improving the health related quality of life in the institutionalized elders.
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