Abstract

BOTERO DE MEJIA, Beatriz Eugenia  and  PICO MERCHAN, María Eugenia. QUALITY OF LIFE RELATED TO HEALTH (QLRH) IN SENIORS OVER 60 YEARS OF AGE: A THEORETICAL APPROACH. Hacia promoc. Salud [online]. 2007, vol.12, n.1, pp.11-24. ISSN 0121-7577.

The WHO (1994) defines "quality of life" as the individual's perception on his/her position in life within the cultural context and the value system in which the individual lives and with respect to his/her goals, expectations, norms and worries. It is a multidimensional and complex concept that includes personal aspects like health, autonomy, independence, satisfaction with life and environmental aspects such as support networks and social services, among others. The networks of social support on which the senior citizens relay on are of formal nature when they are associated to institutions, and the informal ones are constituted by the family, relatives, neighbors and friends. The primary networks of support are of vital importance as a part of the functional, affective and social structure. For effects of this analysis, the concept of quality of life related to health as the capacity that the individual possesses in order to carry out those important activities relative to the functional, affective and social component, which are influenced by the subjective perception. The aging process generates important changes in the life style of the population and has significant repercussions in the volume and distribution of the social burden of the disease and in the quality of life. In Colombia the group of seniors over 60 years of age already represents a high percentage of LYL (lost years of life), in the same way the problem of the aging population does not limit itself only to analyze the morbidity and mortality, but also to determine the conditions of life and social protection. These situations will quickly be imposed by the SSGS (Social Security General System), that should be prepared to face them; nevertheless, there is not sufficient information that gives account of the characteristics of the quality of life related to health in the senior population of Colombian intermediate cities, whereas in the major cities this has already been approached. The longer it takes SSGS to characterize the senior problems, the more expensive and inefficient its management will be, because several of the problems that are appearing could be solved with a fast intervention. The construction of a social development policy for the senior population must be based on research, in this sense, today more than ever, studying and describing the characteristics of quality of life related to health is considered pertinent. Additionally, some of the resources or social supports of this population must be taken into account, in order to guide the sanitary authorities towards the definition of public policies, strategies, norm designs, attention programs and intervention actions that favor the well-being and dignity of the people in this time of life.

Keywords : Quality of life related to health; senior citizens; social networks.

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