Quality of life in old age : an investigation of well older persons in Hong Kong
Document Type
Journal article
Source Publication
Journal of Community Psychology
Publication Date
5-1-2004
Volume
32
Issue
3
First Page
309
Last Page
326
Publisher
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Keywords
Psychology, Quality of life, Older people, Hong Kong
Abstract
What might add quality to life during the last period of the life cycle? In study I, five focus groups of elderly participants representing different ages and socioeconomic backgrounds provided descriptions of quality of life (QOL) from their own perspectives. These descriptions formed the basis of a questionnaire that was administered to a representative, random sample of older persons in Hong Kong (N = 1,616) in study II. The study II sample was further randomly split into two. Exploratory factor analysis on sample A identified four factors: generativity, interpersonal (including intergenerational) relations, physical functioning, and material life. Results of confirmatory factor analysis on sample B showed that the 4-factor QOL model provided a good fit to the data, and that the constructs measured were identical (invariant) between older men and women and between the young-old and the old-old. In study III, the findings were disseminated back to an independent sample of older persons meeting in focus groups, who provided verbal confirmations to the model. The findings shed light on possible community psychology interventions to promote wellness in the elderly.
DOI
10.1002/jcop.20003
Print ISSN
00904392
E-ISSN
15206629
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc
Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.
Full-text Version
Publisher’s Version
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Cheng, S.-T., Chan, A. C. M., & Phillips, D. R. (2004). Quality of life in old age: An investigation of well older persons in Hong Kong. Journal of Community Psychology, 32(3), 309-326. doi: 10.1002/jcop.20003