Health-related quality of life and associated factors among older adults attending primary care clinics in Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

Population ageing in Nigeria is associated with rising chronic diseases, psychosocial challenges, weakened traditional family support systems, and limited social security, which may negatively affect the health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) of older adults. While depression, anxiety, and chronic illnesses have been extensively studied, the effects of spirituality and spiritual needs on HR-QoL among older adults in Nigerian primary care are still under explored despite the central role of spirituality in Nigeria's sociocultural context.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the HR-QoL and its associated sociodemographic and clinical factors among older adults attending primary care clinics in Ilorin, Nigeria.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study involved 280 older adults attending primary care clinics. Data were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaires, including the World Health Organisation Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF), Spiritual Needs Questionnaire (SpNQ-20), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Descriptive statistics, independent t tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression analyses were performed as appropriate using SPSS version 27. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

The mean overall quality of life (QoL) score was 59.97 ± 11.48. Participants who were married and had higher educational attainment had significantly higher QoL scores. Pearson correlation analysis showed a significant moderate negative correlation between QoL and depression (r = -0.558; p < 0.001) and a weak-to-moderate negative correlation between QoL and anxiety (r = -0.353; p < 0.001). No significant correlation was observed between spiritual needs and QoL (r = 0.058, p = 0.331). However, multiple linear regression analysis identified sex (p = 0.034), education (p = 0.044), depression (p < 0.001), and spiritual needs (p = 0.027) as variables with significant independent associations with QoL. The regression model accounted for 36.4% of the variance in QoL (R² = 0.364), indicating a moderate predictive capacity of the included variables.

CONCLUSION

Depression had the strongest association with QoL among the studied older adults, while higher educational attainment and spiritual needs were associated with improved QoL. Integrating psychosocial and spiritual assessments within primary care may enhance the well-being of older adults in Nigeria.