Quality of Life Perceptions of Middle-Aged Women Living with a Disability in Muang District, Khon Kaen, Thailand: WHOQOL Perspective
Pensri Rukwong MNS, RN*, Siriporn Chirawatkul PhD, RN**, Milica Markovic PhD***
Affiliation : * Graduate School, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand ** Faculty of Nursing, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand *** Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, Monash University, Australia
Objectives : Measure the quality of life of middle-aged women with a disability and examine the association of
their quality of life and socio-demographic factors.
Materials and Methods : A cross-sectional study was applied. Thirty-two women with disabilities aged 40-60
years were selected by using stratified random sampling. The WHOQOL-BREF-THAI, Modified Barthel ADL
Index (BAI), Chula ADL Index (CAI), and Estrogen hormone deficit syndrome questionnaires were applied.
Data were analyzed by using descriptive analysis and Spearman’s correlation.
Results : The level of their overall quality of life, when measuring all dimensions of WHOQOL, was moderate.
Overall, QOL perceptions correlated positively and significantly with BAI (rs = 0.4848, p = 0.0048), CAI (rs =
0.5963, p = 0.0005), and their income balance (rs = 0.4124, p = 0.0150), while other factors such as marital
status, educational level, occupation, duration of disability, disability level, health problem, and estrogen
hormone deficit syndrome were not statistically significant correlated.
Conclusion : The present study results revealed that independency and financial sufficiency are significant
factors on quality of life of disabled middle-age women. Promoting independency and financial status may be
crucial for enhancing their quality of life.
Keywords : Quality of life, Disability, Middle-aged women, WHOQOL
