Factors Predicting the Happiness of Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Chronic Diseases

Abstract

This study was descriptive research aimed at examining the happiness level and factors predicting the happiness of community-dwelling older adults with chronic diseases. Data were collected by interview from 234 community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years and older with chronic diseases. Data were analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation and multiple regression. The results showed that participants had happiness at a fair level (mean = 48.59, SD = 6.613), 36.80 % of participants had happiness at a good level, 43.60 % of participants had happiness at a fair level, and 19.60 % of participants had happiness at a poor level. The factors predicting the happiness of older adults with chronic diseases comprised adequate income (p <0.001), perceive of health status at good (p <0.001), satisfaction with living conditions (p <0.01) and regular participation in community-activities (p <0.05), accounting for 26.6 % (adjusted R² = 0.266, p <0.001) of the variance in happiness. To promote happiness among community-dwelling older adults with chronic diseases, public health teams should provide health services to older adults and promote regular participation in community-activities. Older adults with chronic diseases receiving inadequate income, perceived health status at a poor level, and poor satisfaction with living conditions should receive health services to increase their happiness.