INTERRELATIONSHIPS OF QUALITY-OF-LIFE, COMPLIANCE, CLINICAL OUTCOMES AND LIFE SATISFACTION - A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON HYPERTENSIVE GERIATRICS

Objective: (i) To assess quality of life (QoL) profiles in hypertensiv e geriatrics with SF-36; (ii) to assess the compliance of geriatrics t o medications; (iii) to estimate clinical outcomes (reduction in systo lic and diastolic blood pressure); (iv) to assess life satisfaction an d (v) to explore the interrelationships of QoL, compliance, clinical o utcomes and life satisfaction in hypertensive geriatrics. Method: Fift y-nine hypertensive geriatric patients in cardiology and 65 Plus clini cs in West Virginia Hospitals were studied. Results: Age showed a sign ificant negative correlation with physical functioning (r=0 339, P les s than or equal to 0.0127) and physical role (r=0.335, P less than or equal to 0.0148). The physical role facet of SF-36 is correlated with life satisfaction in geriatrics (r=0.316, P less than or equal to 0.02 19). A regression analysis (backward stepwise) not including bodily pa in (Br) and general health (CH) resulted in a model explaining 22.3% o f variance (n= 54, F=2.252, P less than or equal to 0.0543). Physical role (P less than or equal to 0.0084) and mental health facets (P less than or equal to 0.0184) of SF-36 emerged as the predictors of life s atisfaction in elderly hypertensive patients. Emotional role functioni ng (P less than or equal to 0.0257) and social functioning (P less tha n or equal to 0.0033) scores predicted levels of diastolic blood press ure in elderly hypertensive patients. However, all eight concepts of S F-36 failed to predict compliance behaviour in geriatrics (n=53, P les s than or equal to 0.6913, R-2=0.110).