Georgian Med News. 2025 May;(362):37-45.
ABSTRACT
Research Rationale: Quality of life (QoL) is a critical public health concern, extending beyond clinical outcomes to encompass a wide range of social, psychological, and environmental factors. While the majority of QoL studies have focused on individuals with specific health conditions, it is now well-recognized that QoL is also significantly influenced by a variety of non-medical determinants.
STUDY OBJECTIVE: Тo evaluate the associations between socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and quality of life among the adult population.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thе study was conducted as part of a scientific research project and included 180 male and female participants aged 16 to 60 years. Quality of life was assessed using a modified version of the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36). Socio-demographic and lifestyle data were collected using a specially designed questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 22.0. To determine the significance of differences between two groups, the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test was employed; for comparisons among three or more groups, the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used, followed by Dunn’s post hoc test for pairwise comparisons.
RESULTS: The findings indicate that women reported lower QoL than men, and QОL declined with age. Lower QОL scores were significantly associated with severe stress exposure, lack of cold exposure practices, physical inactivity, absence of regular vacations, poor housing conditions, high levels of morbidity among family members, low or below-average financial status, widowhood, and inadequate nutrition (p<0.05). A tendency toward increased psychological vulnerability was observed. The most affected QОL domains, in descending order, were: mental health, vitality, general health, role emotional functioning, social functioning, role physical functioning, physical functioning, and bodily pain (p<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights that socio-demographic disparities can introduce bias in population-based research and reduce the generalizability of findings. These factors should be carefully considered by public health and social care professionals to ensure accurate and equitable assessments.
PMID:40737646
