The Association of Unmet Needs and HRQoL Among Older Residents in Yi-yang-jie-he Institutions

OBJECTIVES: The rise in the aging population poses a significant challenge to long-term care systems across the globe. As more older adults require assistance with daily living, understanding their health-related quality of life (HRQoL) becomes increasingly important. In China, the Yi-yang-jie-he pattern, as a new type of long-term systems, offers a variety of services to promote the healthy aging in China. There is a lack of evidence on the specific care needs of older adults in long term care systems, particularly regarding their HRQoL. Our study aims to explore the association of unmet needs and HRQoL among older residents in yi-yang-jie-he institutions.

METHODS: A cross-sectional investigation involving 396 older adults in Yi-yang-jie-he institutions was performed. This investigation included the Camberwell Assessment of Need for the Elderly (CANE), the EQ-5D, and various demographic and health-related assessments. In this study, a binary variable was created to indicate whether participants had experienced at least one unmet need. Pearson chi-test and t-teats were utilized to analyze the correlation between general characteristics and EQ-5D scores. The relationship between HRQoL and unmet needs was estimated using Tobit regression and the Ordered Probit model.

RESULTS: Tobit regression results showed that unmet care needs reported were negatively associated with the EQ-5D score (β=-0.064, p<0.046) while considering some demographic and health-related characteristics. Further analyses presented that the participants with at least one unmet need reported more severe problems in the EQ5D domain of self-care (dy/dx=0.067, p=0.033) and usual activities (dy/dx=0.070, p=0.013).

CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that older adults with at least one unmet need reported lower HRQoL. Understanding this relationship allows policymakers to promote long-term care services, significantly improving the overall well-being and quality of life for older adults in integrated care settings.