Quality of life for middle and older aged people with chronic conditions in primary care: a cross-sectional study

Globally there is an increased prevalence of chronic conditions, which has a negative impact on quality of life (QOL)and places increased demand on the healthcare system. There is a need to understand the most suitable QOL instruments for adults with chronic health conditions in primary care settings to inform and evaluate tailored interventions. Aims of this study were to: (1) Examine and compare the QOL of middle and older aged adults with chronic conditions in primary care settings in South Australia; (2) Explore the feasibility and suitability of using the QOL-ACC in primary care settings, as compared with a more established instrument (the EQ-5D-5L). A prospective cross-sectional study using an online survey was conducted in general practice primary care settings in Adelaide, Australia, with a measurement at one time-point between July 2023-February 2024. Inclusion criteria: People aged 40–85 years who had ≥ one chronic condition, who attended one of ten participating practices. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all utility scores on QOL measures, and a Mann-Whitney U Test for differences in these scores between the participants separated into two groups based on their age. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Two hundred twenty-four participants completed surveys (mean (SD) age = 58.1 (9.5) years). A large proportion of participants indicated they had poor QOL in domains of Pain Management (43.8% had their pain well managed most of the time), Leisure Activities and Hobbies (31.3% most of the time, 21.9% some of the time) on the QOL-ACC; and moderate pain or discomfort (85.3%), anxiety and depression (62.5%), and performing their usual activities (49.1%) on the EQ-5D-5L, respectively. There were no significant differences in utility between the younger and older age groups for the EQ-5D-5L nor the QOL-ACC (except for the emotional wellbeing dimension). The QOL-ACC is a feasible and suitable QOL measure to use in primary care settings. Further validation of the QOL-ACC with middle-older adults with chronic conditions in primary care is warranted. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registration Number: ACTRN12623000939695 Registration Date: 31/08/2023.