Gender Differences in Quality of Life  Among Seniors With and Without Mental  Disorder � Example from Moravia, Czech  republic

Jan Luzny

Volume : II, Issue : VII, July - 2013

Gender Differences in Quality of Life Among Seniors With and Without Mental Disorder � Example from Moravia, Czech republic

Jan Luzny

Abstract :

Objective The objective of this study is to compare gender differences in the life quality of seniors hospitaLized for a mental disorder in the Krom??� Mental Hospital in the Czech Republic, and seniors without a mental disorder living in community. Methods This study is based on a quantitative approach. WHOQoL BREF and WHOQoL OLD questionnaires were used as instruments; the total score achieved by the subjects was measured. Two groups of subjects were formed: a group of seniors hospitalized in a psychogeriatric ward in the Krom??� Mental Hospital due to a mental disorder, and a group of seniors living in a community in Krom??�. The gender aspect was taken into account. The results were analyzed using the Statistica 7.0 version Software with the Chi2 test, the U- Mann-Whitney test, and ANOVA tests. The statistical significance threshold was set at a p-value of 0.05. Results The women achieved a significantly lower total score (they had a worse life quality) in comparison to the men both in WHOQoL BREF and WHOQoL OLD questionnaires, regardless their mental condition. Women with a mental disorder achieved the lowest total scores among all the scores in this study (they had the worst life quality) comparison to men with a mental disorder or healthy male controls (p = 0.0012). Women without a mental disorder seem to be at a higher risk of bad life quality in comparison to men. The situation is even worse in the case of the presence of a mental disorder - women with a mental disorder achieved the lowest total scores in WHOQoL BREF and WHOQoL OLD questionnaires among all the scores obtained in this study, and they are extremely frail to perceive low life quality. Conclusions Women had a lower total score in WHOQoL BREF and WHOQoL OLD questionnaires than men. The presence of a mental disorder means further deterioration of perceived life quality. Gender differences should be taken into account when treating mental disorders with the challenge of improving life quality.