Aging & Society: Eighth Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

A large number of Vietnamese women aged sixty and above, who have also experienced a number of life stressors, had low levels of health-related quality of life (HRQOL), suggesting further policies and practices to promote their health and well-being are necessary. In addition, cross-cultural comparison studies potentially guide policies and practices to promote HRQOL, suggesting an understanding of similarity and differences between older women in Vietnam and Australia would be useful to adapt resources available in Australia for use in Vietnam. Therefore, this study compared socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyles, and chronic disease, which are known as factors associated with HRQOL, among older women in Vietnam and Australia. This study was cross-sectional designed. The study used data of socio-demographic characteristics (such as education, marital, and employment status), lifestyles (such as diet, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, exercise, sleep, and BMI), chronic diseases from older women aged sixty to seventy-one in Vietnam (n=305) and Australia (n=175). Women in Vietnam and Australia have a number of differences in socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyles, and chronic conditions. Therefore, resources improving HRQOL developed in Australia needs appropriate modifications prior to a use in Vietnam.