Disability and Quality of Life Among Older Malaysians

Sidiah anak John Siop, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
Lois M. Verbrugge, University of Michigan
Tengku Aizan Tengku Abdul Hamid, Universiti Putra Malaysia

This study assessed disability prevalence, and factors that predict disability and quality of life, among older community-dwelling Malaysians (ages 60+). The data source is the Mental Health and Quality of Life of Older Malaysians Survey (MHQoLOM) conducted in 2003-2005. Statistical procedures for the analyses include descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression. Verbrugge and Jette’s model of the disablement process was used as a conceptual frame of reference. Disability prevalence (health-related difficulty in 1+ ADL/IADL) was 22.8 percent. Increasing age, being unmarried, poor self-rated health, and functional limitations increase disability for both men and women. Indian ethnicity (compared to Malay) is associated with disability for women, and Other ethnicity, for men. Very poor self-rated health, and Indian or Chinese ethnicity (compared to Malay), are associated with lower perceived quality of life for both women and men.