The correlation between active aging levels and life satisfaction of older individuals with chronic diseases

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between active aging levels and life satisfaction among older individuals with chronic diseases, and to examine how these parameters differ according to sociodemographic, functional, and clinical characteristics. This descriptive and correlational study was conducted with 254 patients who were treated in internal medicine clinics of a state hospital and 254 patients who were referred to outpatient clinics for ambulatory examination between October 2024 and April 2025. The data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Active Aging Scale, and the Life Satisfaction Scale for the Elderly. The data were analyzed using SPSS software. Significance was accepted as p < 0.05. The mean age of older individuals who participated in the study was 70.29 ± 5.60. The total mean score of the life satisfaction scale for the elderly was 44.67 ± 7.32, and the total mean score of the Active Aging Scale was 106.40 ± 37.83. The age of the participants had a weak positive correlation with life satisfaction and a negative correlation with active aging. A statistically significant difference ( p < 0.05) was found between the participants’ marital status, gender, cohabitant, educational background, subjective assessment of health, no diabetes and chronic renal disease (CRF), physical disability, use of assistant devices such as crutches/canes, leisure time activities such as watching TV, spending time on the phone, and active aging level. A statistically significant difference was found between the variables of educational background, lack of heart failure, use of hearing aids, and life satisfaction ( p < 0.05). Higher levels of active aging were positively associated with greater life satisfaction among older adults with chronic diseases. Clinical conditions differentially influenced outcomes: chronic renal failure and diabetes mellitus significantly constrained active aging capacities, whereas heart failure and hearing impairment severely compromised subjective life satisfaction. Geriatric care models should integrate patient-centered, disease-specific active aging interventions, motivational counseling, and energy-conservation strategies to foster functional independence and enhance life satisfaction in older adults managing chronic conditions.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. BMC Public Health, 2026 · DOI ↗