Health-related quality of life and its relationship with time use, role participation and perceived social support among retirees in Klang Valley and Malacca

• Published in: Medical Journal of Malaysia
• Main Author: Azreen N.S.N.; Mohamad Sabri M.Q.; Mohd T.A.M.T.; Baharom N.; Nurhidayah N.; Daud A.Z.C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malaysian Medical Association 2024
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85194991986&partnerID=40&md5=22ad073ffc791da8a404f3bedaa65d49

Introduction: With increased life expectancy among older adults in Malaysia, there is an increasing number of years of living after retirement. The role and lifestyle changes can significantly affect time use and participation in everyday life, influencing individuals' quality of life (QoL) and well-being. However, limited research has examined the health-related QoL and its relationship with time use, role participation and perceived social support among retirees in Malaysia. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we used the Malay versions of EuroQol 5 Dimensional (EQ-5D-3L, Time Use Diary, Role Checklist Version 3 (RCv3) and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) questionnaires among 362 purposively selected Malaysian retirees aged 55 and older. Regression analysis was employed to identify the predictor of health-related QoL using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Results: The results indicate a weak positive association between all determinants (time use, role participation, perceived social support) and health-related QoL among retirees. Only time use and role participation significantly influenced the health-related QoL of retirees. Our findings reveal no direct and substantial relationship between perceived social support and health-related QoL among Malaysian retirees. Conclusion: The results suggest active role involvement and effective time management can improve retirees' health-related QoL. © 2024, Malaysian Medical Association. All rights reserved.