Key Factors In The Quality Of Life Of The Elderly: Empirical Evidence From North Sumatra Through Social Network Analysis

Authors

Keywords:

Quality of life (QoL), Elderly, Posyandu Lansia, Social Network Analysis

Abstract

Introduction:

The aging population in Indonesia continues to increase, including in North Sumatra which has the potential to enter the phase of an aging population. However, a comprehensive study of multidimensional factors that affect the quality of life of the elderly is still limited. This study aims to identify key factors in the quality of life of the elderly with a multivariate approach and Social Network Analysis (SNA).

Methodology:

The study used a quantitative design with an explanatory approach on 268 elderly people aged 60–64 years in Medan and Deli Serdang. The measurement instrument is a validated WHOQOL-OLD questionnaire. The analysis was carried out with logistical regression of the Backward LR model to determine significant predictors, followed by SNA analysis using UCINET to measure the connectivity and centrality of variables. This study obtained ethical permission and participant consent.

Results:

Nine significant variables (p < 0.05) were found that affected the quality of life of the elderly. The strongest predictors were the ownership of non-government insurance (OR = 19.58), the existence of Posyandu for the Elderly (OR = 13.73), and the activeness of Posyandu cadres (OR = 5.32). On the other hand, the frequency of Posyandu visits showed a negative relationship (OR = 0.035). The results of SNA place the existence of the Elderly Posyandu as the central node with a degree value = 0.750; closeness = 0.800; betweenness = 63.99; then eigenvector = 0.514.

Conclusions

The results confirm that the Posyandu Lansia is a multifunctional intervention center that connects the health, social and economic aspects of the elderly. Reforming and strengthening Posyandu, expanding health insurance and providing an elderly-friendly environment are important strategies to improve the quality of life. These findings underscore the importance of community-based interventions with local cultural approaches.

Downloads

Published

13-04-2026

How to Cite

Gunawan, R., Akita, A., & Herkules. (2026). Key Factors In The Quality Of Life Of The Elderly: Empirical Evidence From North Sumatra Through Social Network Analysis. International Journal of Public Health Research, 16(1), 2543–2553. Retrieved from https://spaj.ukm.my/ijphr/index.php/ijphr/article/view/601

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 1 (2026): International Journal of Public Health Research

Section

Public Health Research

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Roni Gunawan, Amalia Akita, Herkules

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

IJPHR applies the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license to articles and other works we publish. If you submit your paper for publication by IJPHR, you agree to have the CC BY license applied to your work. Under this Open Access license, you as the author agree that anyone can reuse your article in whole or part for any purpose, for free, even for commercial purposes. Anyone may copy, distribute, or reuse the content as long as the author and original source are properly cited. This facilitates freedom in re-use and also ensures that IJPHR content can be mined without barriers for the needs of research.