Abstract

DIAS, Ewerton Naves  and  PAIS-RIBEIRO, José Luís. Spirituality and quality of life of elderly people: a relational study. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2018, vol.19, n.3, pp.591-604. ISSN 1645-0086.  https://doi.org/10.15309/18psd190310.

For the elderly, greater longevity can represent a period of extreme hardship and suffering. Not always the years of life are accompanied by well-being, health and quality of life. In this context, spirituality emerges as an important dimension for the quality of life of the elderly. The objective of this study was to analyse the relationship between spirituality and the quality of life of elderly residents in the community. It is a relational, quantitative and cross-sectional study. The sample consisted of 400 elderly people of both sexes living in a metropolitan city of São Paulo, Brazil. The sample plan was intentional, heterogeneous by quotas. For the definition of the quotas, the variables (age and sex) were used with reference in official strata of the population of that city. The instruments used for evaluation were: a questionnaire for mental assessment; sociodemographic characterization; WHOQOL-Bref and Old Scales, and the Pinto and Pais-Ribeiro Spirituality Scale. There was a statistically significant correlation between spirituality and the quality of life of the elderly. Spirituality is an important tool for the elderly to cope with the adversities inherent in the aging process.

Keywords : spirituality; religiosity; quality of life; elderly.

        · abstract in Portuguese     · text in Portuguese     · Portuguese ( pdf )