Objective:

To know the perception of quality of life (QoL) in the population between 65 and 75 years of age, and its relationship to different variables.

Design:

Observational, analytical, cross-sectional study.

Location:

Primary care. Urban area.

Participants:

Patients aged 65 to 75. Sample size calculated for a 95% confidence level, a precision of 1%, a standard deviation of 10%, and assuming a loss rate of 15%. Systematic sampling by listing.

Main measures:

Age, sex, comorbidities, number of drugs, toxic habits, and patient-perceived QoL (SF-36 questionnaire version 2) were included.

Results:

423 patients were included, 54.6 % women. The overall perception of health was classified as "good-very good" by 80.6 % (95%CI, 76.8-84.4), "fair" by 16.2 % (95%CI, 12.7-19.7), and "bad-very bad" by 3.2% (95%CI, 1.5-4.9). Compared to the previous year, 11.6% (95%CI, 8.5-14.7) said to have "better health", 66.2 % (95%CI, 61.7-70.7) "same health", and 22.2 % (95%CI, 18.2-26.2) "poorer health". The average score in the physical sphere was 50.84 (95%CI, 50.15-51.53) and in the psychological sphere was 54.11 (95%CI, 53.15-55.07).

A multivariate study was carried out with those variables associated with a worse perception of quality of life in the bivariate analysis, and it was found that perceived deterioration in the physical and mental spheres was greater among women (p<0.01). Cardiac (p<0.05), digestive (p<0.05) and rheumatologic (p<0.01) diseases, and increased drug use (p<0.05) were related to a poorer perception of health in physical terms, whereas psychiatric disorders were related to a greater perceived deterioration in mental terms (p<0.01).

Conclusions:

QoL in line with similar populations, on a declining trend. Female sex, obesity, increased drug use, and presence of digestive, cardiac, rheumatologic or psychiatric diseases were connected with a poorer perception of QoL.

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