Annual of social work, Vol. 11 No. 1, 2004.
Original scientific paper
EXPOSURE TO WAR AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE ELDERLY IN KUTINA AND PETRINJA
Daša Poredoš
Dragutin Ivanec
Abstract
The research included 200 elderly people, from the age of 60 upwards, on the territory of the County Sisačko-Moslavačka, more precisely, the cities Petrinja and Kutina; that is, communities that were “more” or “less” exposed to war events. In the research an attempt was made to examine the relationship and structure of the loss of the elderly who live in communities that were differently exposed to the war events, a self-assessment of the quality of life, and the connection between exposure to stress and the quality of life of the elderly, with emphasis on socio-demographic correlates of the examinees.
The results of the analysis show that both groups of examinees live average-quality lives, neither particularly good, nor particularly bad. However, the examinees from Kutina, who were less affected by war, admit having a better-quality life.
The research has also shown that the elderly, during exile, and even now, have been faced with numerous losses and sources of stress, the most significant ones being loss of their home and previous way of living. They perceive as their greatest problem the uncertainty of the future and forcibly changed life habits. Cummulative effects of different stressors increase the feeling of fear toward the uncertainty of the future. Unwanted images and recollections on all they have experienced since the beginning of the war, deteriorated health and psychological anxiety make readjustment more difficult.
Keywords
the elderly; loss (during peace and war); quality of life
Hrčak ID:
3375
URI
Publication date:
1.11.2004.
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