Association Between Occupational Participation and Quality of Life in Japanese Older Adults

Positive associations between occupational participation and quality of life (QoL) are known in various populations, but there are few reports in older adults in Japan. To quantify the association between occupational participation in meaningful occupations and QoL among Japanese community-dwelling older adults. A self-administered questionnaire was sent to 626 older adults. QoL was assessed using the World Health Organization (WHO)-five well-being index, and occupational participation in meaningful occupations was measured with the self-administered occupational performance index. The association between occupational participation and QoL was analyzed. Among 367 participants, significant associations were found between occupational participation in meaningful occupations and QoL. In addition, participants with lower QoL exhibited lower levels of occupational participation in occupational control, occupational balance, and satisfaction of performance domains. There is a positive association between occupational participation and QoL among Japanese older adults. Occupational therapists should prioritize occupational participation to support the well-being of older adults.