Quality of Life and its Association with Geriatric Syndromes Amongst Older Adults Living in the Community in Central Mahalapye Sub-District, Botswana

The study assessed the quality-of-life (QOL) and its relationship with sociodemographic factors and geriatric syndromes among older adults residing in Botswana's Central Mahalapye subdistrict. This was a cross-sectional study. To assess geriatric syndromes, the survey used the brief-assessment-tool-for-comprehensive-geriatric-assessment (BAT for CGA), as well as the World Health Organisation Quality-of-Life-Questionnaire-Short-Version (WHOQOL-BREF) to assess the QOL domains. We used a multivariate linear regression model to find out how external factors, like geriatric syndromes and sociodemographic factors, affect the QOL score across different domains. The study encompassed a grand total of 414 older adult individuals. Except for the physical domain of the WHOQOL-BREF, senior participants in this study reported a high QOL, as most average scores across multiple domains of the WHOQOL-BREF exceeded 50%. Frailty impacted negatively in self-perception of QOL, self-perception of health, and WHOQOL-BREF social and environmental domains (β=-.124, t=-2.543, p=.011, β=-.258, t=-4.991, p=<.001, β=-.190, t=-4.198, p=<.001, β=-.170, t=-3136, p=.002, and β=-.147, t=-3.129, p=.002, respectively). While osteoporosis impacted negatively on self-perception of QOL, self-perception of health, WHOQOL-BREF psychological, social, and environmental domains (β=-.104, t=-2.426, p=.016, β=-.117, t=-2.378, p=.008, β=-.211, t=-4.916, p=<.001, β=-.137, t=-2.934, p=.004, and β=-.287, t=-6.437, p=<.001, respectively). High education level had a positive impact on self-perception of QOL (β=.165, t=3.566, p<.001), and living with a partner impacted positively on self-perception of QOL (β=.216, t=5.196, p<.001) and self-perception of health (β=.167, t=3.488, p<.001). We suggest that more research be done to make sure that the BAT for CGA tool works correctly in rural Africa.