Health-related quality of life and associated factors among older refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh residing in Kotayk province of Armenia

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to explore factors associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among refugees aged 50 years and older from Nagorno-Karabakh residing in Armenia. METHODS: We used a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, presence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), visual impairment (VI), eye diseases, smoking, sleep disorders, HRQoL, and healthcare utilization in a sample of 197 participants. The Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire was used to measure the physical health component (PHC) and mental health component (MHC) of HRQoL. A comprehensive ophthalmic examination was carried out. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 64.84 (SD = 9.28), with 65.48% being female. The mean MHC and PHC scores were 59.37 (SD = 20.04), and 59.4 (SD = 20.1) to 63.57 (SD = 26.28), respectively. Hypertension, bone/joint diseases, and heart diseases were the most frequently reported diseases in our sample. In the adjusted linear regression analysis, age, sleep disorders, respiratory diseases, bone/joint diseases, and diabetes were significantly associated with both PHC and MHC scores of SF-36. Heart disease was associated with PHC only. Having more than one NCD was negatively associated with PHC and MHC. In the domain specific adjusted analysis, bone/joint diseases and diabetes, were significantly associated with physical functioning, general health, and energy/fatigue domains of the PHC and MHC components of HRQoL. CONCLUSION: Governmental support and interventions targeting older refugees and those with more than one NCD and sleep disorders may be beneficial. Follow-up assessments should monitor variations in both PHC and MHC scores among refugees, as they may vary over time in response to the challenges associated with displacement.