生活滿意度量表分數於台灣老人之穩定性、重要影響因子與敏感性

Abstract

台灣社會人口結構正在加速老化，老人議題日益重要，首要的問題是該如何評估老人的晚年生活。本研究探討TLSA版生活滿意度量表分數的穩定性、重要影響因子與敏感性，結果顯示其長期具有跨時間之穩定性，重要影響因子為健康、憂鬱症狀與經濟滿意度，並且敏感於健康、憂鬱症狀與經濟的變化。此研究結果表示TLSA版生活滿意度量表能反應老人生活滿意度動態適應歷程，並且反映生活滿意度與其重要因子間之關係，適合用以測量台灣老人之生活滿意度。本研究亦呈現台灣老人的晚年生活，整體而言老年人滿意其晚年生活，生活滿意度偏正向且跨時間穩定。但是健康、憂鬱症狀與經濟變差的老人生活滿意度會下降，憂鬱症狀好轉的老人生活滿意度會上升。據此研究發現可對未來老年政策提供三個參考方向：維持老年健康及經濟安全，預防老人憂鬱症狀產生並協助憂鬱症狀嚴重之老人抒解其症狀。

The growing population of older adults in Taiwan makes the aging issue of increasing importance these years. How to assess the extent of satisfaction in later life among Taiwanese older adults becomes, therefore, critical. This research focuses on stability, predictors, and sensitivity of life satisfaction index (LSI) scores adopted in the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging (TLSA) across five waves of investigation. The LSI scores appear stable over the period of investigation. The key predictors of LSI scores include health, depressive symptoms and perception to financial situations. The LSI scores are also sensitive to changes in these predictors. The stability and sensitivity of the LSI scores suggest that this measure could be used to assess the degree of life satisfaction among senior Taiwanese. The research also shows that older adults in Taiwan are, overall, satisfied with their later lives. Those who pertain worse health, depressive symptoms and inferior financial situations become less satisfied with their lives. Older adults who experienced lower depressive symptoms over time become more satisfied with their lives. The results suggest three possible directions to improve life satisfaction among older adults in Taiwan - maintenance of health and financial security, as well as prevention of the risk of depressive symptoms.