2 page reflection paper about a Leisure Questionnaire

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QuestionaireRubric.docx

Older People’s Quality of Life Questionnaire (OPQOL) summed scoring and reverse coding:

OPQOL items coded 1-5; scoring = – reverse coding of positive items;

sum sub-scales – names as marked in table headers; sum total for overall score +/-OPQOL: reverse coding of positively worded items + (5-1) so higher scores represented higher QoL

OPQOL items:

Please indicates the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements (5-point Likert response scale: Strongly agree to Strongly disagree coded 1-5 as indicated in questionnaire)

Life overall

1. I enjoy my life overall 2. I am happy much of the time 3. I look forward to things 4. Life gets me down Health 5. I have a lot of physical energy 6. Pain affects my well-being 7. My health restricts me looking after myself or my home 8. I am healthy enough to get out and about Social relationships/leisure and social activities 9. My family, friends or neighbours would help me if needed 10. I would like more companionship or contact with other people 11. I have someone who gives me love and affection 12. I’d like more people to enjoy life with 12a.I have my children around which is important * 29. I have social or leisure activities/hobbies that I enjoy doing 30. I try to stay involved with things 31. I do paid or unpaid work or activities that give me a role in life Independence, control over life, freedom 13. I am healthy enough to have my independence 14. I can please myself what I do 15. The cost of things compared to my pension/income restricts my life 16. I have a lot of control over the important things in my life 32. I have responsibilities to others that restrict my social or leisure activities Home and neighbourhood 17. I feel safe where I live 18. The local shops, services and facilities are good overall 19. I get pleasure from my home 20. I find my neighbourhood friendly Psychological and emotional well-being 21. I take life as it comes and make the best of things 22. I feel lucky compared to most people 23. I tend to look on the bright side

1

24. If my health limits social/leisure activities, then I will compensate and find something else I can do Financial circumstances 25. I have enough money to pay for household bills

26. I have enough money to pay for household repairs or help needed in the house 27. I can afford to buy what I want to 28. I cannot afford to do things I would enjoy Religion/culture

33. Religion, belief or philosophy is important to my quality of life * 34 (35). Cultural/religious events/festivals are important to my quality of life *

[Note: the 32 item version was used in Qol follow-up survey; a 35 item version was used in ONS Omnibus and Ethnibus surveys; three additional items were included after holding focus groups with ethnically diverse older people - marked with *]

OPQOL norms, in 2007-8, for a national random population sample aged 65+, a national ethically diverse sample aged 65+, and a follow-up of people aged 65+ in 1999/200 are shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Older people’s Quality of Life Questionnaire (OPQOL) items+

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Ethnibus 2008

(35 items, range 35- 175)

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ONS Omnibus 2008

(35 items, range 35- 175)

QoL Survey follow-up 2007/8

(32 items, range 32-160)

OPQOL items:

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% (n)

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% (n)

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% (n)

1. Life overall:

1. + I enjoy my life overall

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Strongly agree

18 (73)

38 (224)

21 (59) ****

Agree

34 (137)

53 (310)

61 (171)

Neither agree nor disagree

37 (148)

7 (42)

14 (40)

Disagree

9 (35)

2 (11)

4 (12)

Strongly disagree

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2 (7)

---

2. + I am happy much of the time

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Strongly agree

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10 (41)

34 (197)

18 (50)****

2

Agree

32 (126)

59 (344)

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66 (184)

Neither agree nor disagree

49 (196)

5 (32)

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12 (32)

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Disagree

8 (33)

2 (13)

4 (12)

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Strongly disagree

1 (4)

---

---

3. + I look forward to things

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Strongly agree

15 (60)

36 (209)

21 (57) ****

Agree

42 (166)

53 (312)

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58 (163)

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Neither agree nor disagree

38 (152)

8 (47)

17 (48)

Disagree

5 (21)

3 (17)

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4 (11)

Strongly disagree

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--- (1)

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--- (2)

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---

4. - Life gets me down

Strongly agree

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14 (57)

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1 (8)

2 (4) ****

Agree

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47 (187)

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12 (72)

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7 (20)

Neither agree nor disagree

23 (92)

17 (100)

25 (69)

Disagree

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12 (48)

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48 (279)

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44 (118)

Strongly disagree

4 (16)

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22 (127)

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22 (61)

2. Health and functioning:

5. + I have a lot of physical energy

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Strongly agree

13 (53)

12 (71)

6 (17) ****

Agree

41 (165)

34 (202)

28 (76)

Neither agree nor disagree

30 (121)

19 (113)

36 (96)

Disagree

13 (51)

29 (164)

27 (74)

Strongly disagree

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3 (10)

6 (36)

3 (9)

6. - Pain affects my well-being±

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3

Strongly agree

14 (56)

8 (50)

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8 (21) ****

Agree

40 (161)

29 (169)

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28 (76)

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Neither agree nor disagree

32 (128)

15 (86)

21 (56)

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Disagree

10 (39)

35 (205)

33 (89)

Strongly disagree

4 (16)

13 (77)

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10 (28)

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7. - My health restricts me looking after myself or my home

Strongly agree

15 (61)

4 (26)

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5 (13) ****

Agree

33 (133)

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15 (88)

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12 (34)

Neither agree nor disagree

37 (148)

7 (39)

14 (39)

Disagree

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11 (44)

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47 (276)

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43 (119)

Strongly disagree

4 (14)

27 (158)

26 (71)

8. + I am healthy enough to get out and about

page4image2398667776 page4image2398667024 page4image2398668240 page4image2398668752

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Strongly agree

8 (30)

39 (227)

29 (81) ****

Agree

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32 (130)

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47 (276)

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51 (144)

Neither agree nor disagree

48 (192)

5 (31)

9 (24)

Disagree

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11 (44)

page4image2437614480 page4image2437614992

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5 (30)

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8 (21)

Strongly disagree

1 (4)

4 (23)

3 (10)

3a. Social relationships:

9. + My family, friends or neighbours would help me if needed

Strongly agree

6 (26)

49 (286)

44 (125) ****

Agree

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31 (123)

45 (263)

49 (138)

Neither agree nor disagree

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55 (219)

4 (23)

6 (18)

4

Disagree

8 (31)

2 (12)

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--- (1)

Strongly disagree

--- (1)

--- (2)

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--- (1)

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10. - I would like more companionship or contact with other people

Strongly agree

3 (13)

4 (21)

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4 (10) ****

Agree

33 (134)

16 (95)

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19 (53)

Neither agree nor disagree

42 (167)

27 (157)

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42 (117)

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Disagree

20 (79)

46 (272)

29 (79)

Strongly disagree

2 (7)

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7 (41)

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6 (17)

11. + I have someone who gives me love and affection

Strongly agree

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10 (38)

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50 (297)

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45 (125) ****

Agree

45 (178)

38 (222)

35 (96)

Neither agree nor disagree

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--- ---

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5 (28)

13 (36)

Disagree

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44 (177)

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5 (29)

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6 (17)

Strongly disagree

2 (7)

2 (10)

1 (4)

12/a - I’d like more people to enjoy life with

page5image2438868864 page5image2438869248 page5image2438870080 page5image2438870592

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Strongly agree

3 (14)

4 (25)

5 (13) ****

Agree

32 (130)

25 (149)

21 (58)

Neither agree nor disagree

41 (164)

27 (157)

42 (116)

Disagree

22 (86)

39 (229)

27 (76)

Strongly disagree

2 (6)

5 (27)

5 (14)

12/b. Aia.± + I have my children around which is important

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5

Strongly agree

10 (38)

37 (217)

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n/a

Agree

34 (138)

31 (182)

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Neither agree nor disagree

39 (156)

11 (63)

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Disagree

15 (61)

11 (64)

Strongly disagree [includes no children]

2 (7)

9 (54)

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4. Independence, control over life, freedom:

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13. + I am healthy enough to have my independence

(independence- health)

Strongly agree

7 (26)

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39 (231)

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32 (93) ****

Agree

23 (93)

48 (282)

50 (142)

Neither agree nor disagree

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41 (163)

page6image2440155072 page6image2440155584

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5 (25)

page6image2440158144

9 (26)

Disagree

23 (93)

6 (37)

7 (19)

Strongly disagree

page6image2440177776 page6image2440175632

6 (25)

page6image2440178368 page6image2440178752

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2 (12)

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2 (6)

14. + I can please myself what I do (freedom, autonomy)

Strongly agree

page6image2437782160 page6image2437780048

10 (39)

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42 (246)

30 (84) ****

Agree

page6image2438753520 page6image2398996928

45 (180)

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48 (281)

page6image2398980560

53 (151)

Neither agree nor disagree

15 (62)

6 (37)

11 (31)

Disagree

24 (94)

3 (15)

5 (14)

Strongly disagree

6 (25)

1 (8)

1 (4)

15. - The cost of things compared to my pension/income restricts my life (independence- financial)

page6image2399048112

Strongly agree

page6image2399049696

12 (48)

11 (64)

8 (23) ****

6

Agree

15 (60)

28 (162)

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23 (65)

Neither agree nor disagree

24 (96)

20 (119)

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31 (86)

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Disagree

42 (169)

36 (213)

32 (91)

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Strongly disagree

7 (27)

5 (29)

6 (18)

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16. + I have a lot of control over the important things in my life (control)

Strongly agree

13 (53)

37 (219)

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26 (74) ****

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Agree

41 (163)

53 (313)

56 (161)

Neither agree nor disagree

29 (115)

page7image2439102160 page7image2439102672

6 (32)

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14 (40)

Disagree

17 (69)

4 (22)

3 (8)

Strongly disagree

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--- ---

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--- (1)

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1 (3)

32. - I have responsibilities to others that restrict my social or leisure activities

Strongly agree

page7image2438860384 page7image2438864512

5 (18)

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3 (15)

4 (12) ****

Agree

page7image2437496416 page7image2437483840

15 (59)

page7image2437826208 page7image2437347392

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10 (60)

page7image2437858160

12 (33)

Neither agree nor disagree

20 (82)

7 (40)

16 (44)

Disagree

page7image2466497120 page7image2466465104

38 (152)

page7image2466427760 page7image2466428272

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62 (365)

page7image2466483808

50 (135)

Strongly disagree

22 (89)

18 (107)

17 (47)

5. Home and neighbourhood:

17. + I feel safe where I live

Strongly agree

14 (190)

46 (269)

35 (99) ****

Agree

40 (161)

47 (275)

53 (151)

Neither agree nor disagree

page7image2438594784

9 (36)

4 (24)

9 (26)

Disagree

page7image2438500752

3 (12)

2 (13)

3 (7)

7

Strongly disagree

--- (1)

1 (6)

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--- (1)

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18. + The local shops, services and facilities are good overall

Strongly agree

32 (127)

22 (132)

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23 (64) ****

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Agree

54 (216)

50 (293)

59 (168)

Neither agree nor disagree

13 (53)

11 (60)

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9 (26)

Disagree

1 (4)

14 (83)

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7 (20)

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Strongly disagree

--- ---

3 (18)

2 (5)

19. + I get pleasure from my home

page8image2437335776 page8image2437336288

page8image2440186608

page8image2440188320

Strongly agree

5 (18)

45 (263)

44 (124) ****

Agree

page8image2438617104 page8image2438580240

33 (133)

page8image2438646960 page8image2438630064

page8image2438630608

51 (299)

page8image2467387408

50 (140)

Neither agree nor disagree

49 (197)

3 (17)

5 (15)

Disagree

page8image2467405920 page8image2467404912

12 (48)

page8image2467407360 page8image2467401072

page8image2467407824

1 (8)

page8image2467410112

1 (4)

Strongly disagree

1 (4)

---

20. + I find my neighbourhood friendly

page8image2467427456 page8image2467427840 page8image2467430496 page8image2467431008

page8image2467431456 page8image2467429280

Strongly agree

4 (15)

36 (209)

28 (80) ****

Agree

page8image2466384864 page8image2466526208

21 (86)

page8image2466524912 page8image2466537776

page8image2466387744

53 (314)

page8image2466515424

54 (152)

Neither agree nor disagree

58 (232)

7 (44)

15 (41)

Disagree

16 (62)

3 (16)

3 (8)

Strongly disagree

1 (5)

1 (3)

-- (1)

6. Psychological and emotional well-being:

21. + I take life as it comes and make the best of things

page8image2467456736

Strongly agree

page8image2467458320

14 (57)

43 (256)

35 (98) ****

8

Agree

45 (179)

51 (302)

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58 (164)

Neither agree nor disagree

35 (141)

4 (22)

page9image2466718896

7 (19)

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Disagree

6 (23)

1 (6)

---

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Strongly disagree

--- ---

--- (1)

---

22. + I feel lucky compared to most people

page9image2439038352 page9image2439169536

Strongly agree

6 (22)

42 (243)

33 (92) ****

Agree

23 (90)

49 (289)

page9image2466785392

54 (151)

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Neither agree nor disagree

42 (169)

7 (43)

12 (35)

Disagree

24 (98)

2 (11)

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1 (3)

Strongly disagree

page9image2466672816 page9image2466727824

5 (21)

page9image2466673456 page9image2466673968

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--- (2)

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---

23. + I tend to look on the bright side

Strongly agree

page9image2466681904 page9image2466781584

10 (38)

page9image2466784096

35 (208)

27 (76) ****

Agree

page9image2440295840 page9image2467768048

33 (133)

page9image2467770352 page9image2467774352

page9image2467775152

55 (321)

page9image2467715936

56 (158)

Neither agree nor disagree

37 (147)

9 (50)

14 (40)

Disagree

page9image2438664416 page9image2438666112

20 (82)

page9image2467730016 page9image2467730752

page9image2467733424

1 (8)

page9image2467735056

2 (6)

Strongly disagree

--- ---

page9image2467682640 page9image2467739328

---

page9image2467684048

---

24. + If my health limits social/leisure activities, then I will compensate and find something else I can do

Strongly agree

24 (96)

19 (114)

21 (59) ****

Agree

28 (112)

62 (365)

55 (154)

Neither agree nor disagree

30 (121)

14 (83)

22 (62)

Disagree

page9image2466691664

17 (67)

4 (20)

2 (6)

Strongly disagree

page9image2466753680

1 (4)

1 (4)

---

9

7. Financial circumstances:

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25. + I have enough money to pay for household bills

Strongly agree

17 (67)

25 (148)

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29 (81) ****

page10image2439352848

Agree

17 (69)

66 (388)

59 (168)

Neither agree nor disagree

37 (149)

5 (28)

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9 (24)

Disagree

25 (99)

3 (18)

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3 (10)

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Strongly disagree

4 (16)

1 (5)

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26. + I have enough money to pay for household repairs or help needed in the house ø

Strongly agree

page10image2439221584 page10image2439222544

12 (48)

page10image2439224416

19 (107)

21 (57) ****

Agree

page10image2466540736 page10image2466531056

11 (44)

page10image2466506976 page10image2466386672

page10image2466508960

51 (296)

page10image2466392688

45 (125)

Neither agree nor disagree

40 (161)

19 (111)

20 (57)

Disagree

page10image2466601152 page10image2466598176

31 (124)

page10image2466575072

9 (53)

13 (37)

Strongly disagree

page10image2466636768 page10image2466637568

6 (23)

page10image2466639072 page10image2466576208

page10image2466577008

2 (10)

page10image2466546848

1 (4)

27. + I can afford to buy what I want to

Strongly agree

page10image2466588320 page10image2466586320

9 (37)

page10image2440064480 page10image2440067088

page10image2439228352

10 (58)

page10image2439233392

17 (41) ****

Agree

9 (37)

47 (275)

41 (114)

Neither agree nor disagree

38 (153)

19 (110)

23 (64)

Disagree

32 (128)

21 (122)

17 (49)

Strongly disagree

12 (45)

3 (20)

2 (6)

28. - I cannot afford to do things I would enjoy

Strongly agree

page10image2468071120

8 (31)

5 (30)

3 (8) ****

Agree

page10image2468086912

9 (36)

20 (116)

19 (54)

10

Neither agree nor disagree

28 (112)

20 (117)

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28 (77)

Disagree

34 (134)

48 (283)

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38 (106)

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Strongly disagree

22 (87)

7 (39)

12 (35)

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3b. Leisure and social activities:

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29. + I have social or leisure activities/hobbies that I enjoy doing

Strongly agree

8 (30)

28 (165)

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20 (57) ****

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Agree

36 (144)

51 (300)

54 (149)

Neither agree nor disagree

30 (122)

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10 (57)

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page11image2466565456

18 (49)

Disagree

17 (68)

9 (51)

7 (20)

Strongly disagree

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9 (36)

page11image2437911408 page11image2440530800

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2 (13)

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1 (4)

30. - I try to stay involved with things

Strongly agree

page11image2466604160 page11image2466604544

8 (32)

page11image2466849792 page11image2466850240

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26 (154)

page11image2466850848

18 (51) ****

Agree

30 (120)

57 (335)

57 (157)

Neither agree nor disagree

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40 (159)

page11image2466858160 page11image2466858672

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9 (55)

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21 (57)

Disagree

17 (68)

7 (39)

3 (9)

Strongly disagree

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5 (21)

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1 (3)

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1 (4)

31. + I do paid or unpaid work or activities that give me a role in life

Strongly agree

8 (30)

13 (79)

9 (23) ****

Agree

18 (71)

22 (128)

18 (47)

Neither agree nor disagree

32 (128)

9 (52)

16 (42)

Disagree

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30 (121)

41 (239)

42 (113)

Strongly disagree

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12 (50)

15 (85)

16 (44)

11

8. Religion/culture:

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Aic.± + Religion, belief or philosophy is important to my QoL

Strongly agree

11 (45)

18 (106)**

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n/a

Agree

47 (187)

37 (216)

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Neither agree nor disagree

23 (92)

21 (125)

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Disagree

16 (65)

18 (105)

Strongly disagree

3 (11)

page12image2439436992 page12image2439437760

6 (35)

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Aid.±+ Cultural /religious events/festivals are important to my QoL

Strongly agree

page12image2439460144 page12image2439457552

13 (51)

page12image2439460832 page12image2439461344

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12 (72)ns

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n/a

Agree

51 (205)

page12image2439210256 page12image2439210832

29 (169)

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Neither agree nor disagree

23 (93)

23 (135)

Disagree

page12image2467984416 page12image2467985040

11 (42)

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30 (174)

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Strongly disagree

2 (9)

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6 (37)

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No. of respondents [item non-response]

400

[item non- response 0%]

585-587

577 for financial item # 26; other

item non- response: <1%]

269-286

[item non- response 5-10% (+1 item only=11%]

+ Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements

+/-OPQOL: reverse coding of positively worded items + (5-1) so higher scores represented higher QoL

ns not statistically significant at least at p<0.05 level

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** p<0.01 **** p<0.0001

± Additional items inserted in Ethnibus and ONS Omnibus Surveys recommended by Ethnibus focus group members and refined with Ethnibus staff (QoL follow-up questionnaires had already been mailed out and did not

include these additional items)

± Ethnibus feedback from interviewers: item 6 QOL is based on physical, psychological and emotional pain due to family and domestic issues. This is a cultural interpretation of the word “pain”.

Development of the OPQOL

The OPQOL was developed and tested with ESRC and cross-research council funding. It is a 32- to 35- item QoL measure. It was conceptually grounded in lay views from the baseline QoL ONS Omnibus Surveys. It has 5-point Likert scales from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree, with 32 or 35 items, representing: life overall (4 items), health (4 items), social relationships and participation (7 items in QoL follow- up survey, 8 items in Omnibus surveys), independence, control over life, freedom (5 items), area: home and neighbourhood (4 items), psychological and emotional well- being (4 items), financial circumstances (4 items), religion/culture (2 items; asked in Omnibus surveys only). Items are scored (with reverse coding of positive responses, so that higher scores equal higher QoL; the scale ranges are 35 (QoL so bad could not be worse) to 175 (QoL so good could not be better) (Omnibus surveys) and, correspondingly 32 to 160 in the QoL follow-up survey.

In the development of the OPQOL, older people’s responses to open-ended questioning about the ‘good things’ that gave life quality were examined. These were categorised into main themes by two researchers, independently. These were, in order of magnitude: social relationships (mentioned by 81%), social roles and activities (60%), solo activities (48%), health (44%), psychological outlook and well-being (38%), home and neighbourhood (37%), financial circumstances (33%), and independence (27%). Smaller numbers mentioned various other things. These responses were consistent with older people’s views about what took quality away from life. The sub-scale domains in the OPQOL reflected this common core of main constituents of quality of life. The common sub-themes are listed in (Bowling 2007). The pool of actual verbatim responses was examined next by two researchers, again independently, to inform the inclusion of the items within each sub-scale. The main reasons given by people, at survey and in-depth interview, to explain the importance of these themes to their QoL were categorized, by two independent coders, as: freedom to do the things they wanted to do without restriction (whether in the home or socially); pleasure, enjoyment and satisfaction with life; mental harmony; social attachment - having access to companionship, intimacy, love, social contact and involvement, help; social roles; and feeling secure. These cut across the main themes (Bowling & Gabriel, 2007). The responses which were selected for inclusion in OPQOL represented the most commonly occurring sub-themes within each theme.

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The verbatim responses formed an initial pool of over 100 different statements, or attitudes. After reading and comparing the items, overlapping statements were deleted to leave 51 items. The revised items were first mailed to QoL Survey sample members in 2006 and 60% 179 of the respondents invited to participate returned the completed questionnaires). They were asked to complete the items, report any difficulties they had with it, and to make any other comments about it.

Psychometric tests for item redundancy, reliability and validity, led to the removal of redundant items (over-high correlations), items with high missing data, items where the Cronbach’s alpha of the scale improved with their removal, items which did not correlate with the overall scale score or a self-rated global QoL item. Exploratory factor analysis was used to explore the dimensions underlying the questionnaire. Amendments to wording were made following feedback from survey respondents and an opportunistic focus group of eight consenting people aged 65+ whose role locally was to provide feedback on research and services (seven of whom were white). This resulted in a reduced 32-item, multi-dimensional QoL questionnaire, with the methodological advantage that it separates constituents of QoL from QoL end states. The questionnaire was further assessed for interpretation, face and content validity with four focus groups of older people, three of which reflected ethnic diversity, and were organised by Ethnibus’s focus group arm before the Ethnibus and ONS Omnibus waves commenced (http://www.ethnifocus.com).

The OPQOL is copyrighted © Ann Bowling, and is made available free of use with acknowledgement by referencing the initial papers reporting its validity and reliability (these are in red below).

The report of this research: 'Good Neighbours' can be downloaded from the International Longevity Centre – UK website in summary and in full. Also available for download is the questionnaire used in the research (links below valid May 2011).

Good Neighbours Findings: http://www.ilcuk.org.uk/files/pdf_pdf_159.pdf Good Neighbours Summary: http://www.ilcuk.org.uk/files/pdf_pdf_162.pdf Questionnaire: http://www.ilcuk.org.uk/files/pdf_pdf_161.pdf

Further reading on the OPQOL questionnaire

Bowling, A. (2009). Psychometric properties of the Older People’s Quality of Life Questionnaire Validity. Current Gerontology and Geriatrics Research. www.hindawi.com/journals/cggr/2009/298950.abs.html Bowling, A. Iliffe, S., Kessel, A., Higginson, I. (2010). Fear of dying in an ethnically diverse society: cross-sectional studies of people aged 65+ in Britain. Postgraduate Medical Journal, 86: 197-202. www.pmj.bmj.com/content/86/1014/197.full Bowling, A. and Stenner, P. (2010). Psychometric properties of the Older People’s Quality of Life Questionnaire: which measure performs best with older people. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. www.jech.bmj.com/content/early/2010/08/18/jech.2009.087668.short?rss=1

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Bilotta, C., Bowling, A., Casè. A., Nicolini, P., Mauri, S., Castelli, M., & Vergani, C.(2010). Dimensions and correlates of quality of life according to frailty status: a cross-sectional study on community-dwelling older adults referred to an outpatient geriatric service in Italy. Health & Quality of Life Outcomes, 8, 56. www.hqlo.com/content/8/1/56

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