Health-related quality of life and unmet care needs among older adults in Medical and Nursing Care Integrated Institutions

Yiwei Qiao; Siyi Chen; Jialong Tan; Shuaizhen Chen; Qiao Li; Yuying Zhu; Chen Chen

doi:10.1016/j.gerinurse.2025.103403

Health-related quality of life and unmet care needs among older adults in Medical and Nursing Care Integrated Institutions

Geriatr Nurs. 2025 Jun 27:64:103403. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2025.103403. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Yiwei Qiao¹, Siyi Chen¹, Jialong Tan¹, Shuaizhen Chen¹, Qiao Li¹, Yuying Zhu¹, Chen Chen²

Affiliations

¹ Dong Fureng Institute of Economic and Social Development, Wuhan University, No.299, Bayi Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430072, China.
² Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, No.299, Bayi Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430072, China. Electronic address: chenchen835@whu.edu.cn.

PMID: 40580821
DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2025.103403

Abstract

As global initiatives towards promoting healthy aging and active aging gain momentum, there arises a critical need to understand Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of older adults and its associated factors. This paper aims to measure the specific care needs of older adults in long-term care (LTC), and their associations with the HRQoL. The analyses were based on a cross-sectional investigation involving 388 older adults in Medical and Nursing Care Integrated Institutions (MNCII). Tobit regression and the Ordered Probit model were employed to estimate the relationship between HRQoL and unmet care needs. Tobit regression results showed that more unmet care needs were associated with the lower EQ-5D score (β=-0.036, p < 0.001). Further analyses presented that the number of unmet needs was correlated to each EQ-5D dimension. These findings highlighted the importance of caring for their unmet needs and providing more efficient healthcare services to improve the physical, psychological, and social well-being of older adults.

Keywords: CANE; Health-related quality of life; Long-term care institutions; Unmet long-term care needs.