社區高齡者自覺健康、生活滿意及生命意義之探討

Self-Perceived Health, Life Satisfaction, and Meaning of Life amongst the Elderly in the Community

目的：由自覺一般與心理健康及生活滿意探討社區高齡者的生命意義及其相關與預測因子，作為有關部門在長期照顧管理之參考。方法：採橫斷調查法，立意取樣65 歲以上之南投社區高齡者，以結構式問卷調查，發出問卷470 份，回收有效樣本406 份。以SPSS 統計軟體分析。結果：高齡者自覺一般健康、心理健康及生活滿意愈佳，其生命意義愈顯著正向。高齡者在65～74 歲、國中程度、信仰佛教、每月自由支配金錢 ≤ 1.99 及2～2.99萬元、未罹患慢性病、自覺心理健康及生活滿意對生命意義有顯著影響，其中以生活滿意的解釋變異量64.9% 最具預測力。結論：瞭解社區高齡者生命意義的狀況及其相關因素，提供適宜社區醫療及長期照護服務，維護高齡者身體心理健康，提高生活滿意，有助於高齡者擁有正向生命意義，以達成功老化境界。

Objectives: We investigated the status, correlations, and predictive factors related to the meaning of life amongst the elderly by studying their self-perceived general health, psychological health, and life satisfaction to offer a reference for relevant departments managing long-term care. Methods: For this cross-sectional survey, we selected the elderly ≥ 65 years of age in the Nantou community by purposive sampling for a structured questionnaire survey. A total of 470 questionnaires were distributed and 406 valid ones were returned. We used SPSS statistical software for data analysis. Results: The better the self-perceived general health, psychological health, and life satisfaction amongst the elderly, the greater a positive attitude towards the meaning of life. A set of independent variables, including subjects 65-74 years of age, a junior high school education, belief in Buddhism, an income ≤ $19,999 and between $20,000 and 29,999, no chronic diseases, self-perceived psychological health and life satisfaction, signifi cantly infl uenced the meaning of life. Life satisfaction had the strongest impact on the meaning of life, which accounted for 64.9% of the variance in these factors. Conclusions: Understanding the status and factors related to the meaning of life in the elderly, and having adequate community care and long-term care services provided by relevant departments to maintain good physical and psychological health of the elderly and enhance life satisfaction will facilitate the development of a positive attitude towards the meaning of life and achieve successful aging.