Quality of life, active ageing, social support and loneliness in older adults at day centres
In a cross-sectional survey of 109 adults aged 60–98 at gerontological day centres in Spain, active ageing, low social loneliness and perceived social support were the multivariable predictors of quality of life; the model explained 30.8% of variance. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
The study was a cross-sectional descriptive study of 109 participants aged 60–98 years recruited from gerontological day centres in Huelva and Seville, Spain. [1]
In the multiple linear regression model, active ageing (β = 0.395; p = 0.004) and perceived social support (β = 0.188; p = 0.027) were independent predictors of quality of life. [1]
The model accounted for 30.8% of the variance in quality of life, leaving about 69.2% unexplained by these factors. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Cross-sectional descriptive study (abstract only)
- Population / context
- 109 adults aged 60–98 years attending gerontological day centres in Huelva and Seville, Spain.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- August 15, 2026
Survey of 109 day-centre visitors in Spain
The study was a cross-sectional descriptive study of 109 participants aged 60–98 years, recruited from gerontological day centres in Huelva and Seville, Spain. It examined quality of life, active ageing, perceived social support and loneliness, and looked for factors associated with quality of life. Data came from four questionnaires: the WHOQOL-BREF, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the ESTE II Loneliness Scale and the Active Ageing Scale. Because the design is cross-sectional, it captures one point in time and cannot show cause and effect.
Supporting source [1]
Mean scores and multivariable predictors
Mean scores were 14.46 (SD 1.83) for quality of life, 3.06 (SD 0.36) for active ageing, 10.14 (SD 3.00) for social loneliness and 5.62 (SD 0.93) for perceived social support. In the multiple linear regression model, active ageing (β = 0.395; p = 0.004) and perceived social support (β = 0.188; p = 0.027) were independent predictors of quality of life. The model accounted for 30.8% of the variance in quality of life (adjusted R = 0.288), leaving about 69.2% unexplained by these factors. These are associations, not proof that changing these factors changes quality of life.
Supporting source [1]
Exploratory trends and unexplained variance
The authors state that bivariate analyses should be interpreted with caution because they were strictly exploratory. Secondary exploratory trends suggested minor baseline links with sleep duration, marital status and employment status. The authors conclude that active ageing, low social loneliness and solid perceived social support were the core multivariable predictors of quality of life in this group, and that future research should explore additional covariates to account for the remaining unexplained variance.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
This explainer is based only on the abstract; the full text was not reviewed. The design is cross-sectional, so associations cannot establish causation. The regression model left about 69.2% of the variance in quality of life unexplained, and the authors describe the bivariate analyses as strictly exploratory.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Sánchez-Galloso J, Arana-Rodríguez A, Sánchez-Ramos JL, Garrido-Fernández A, Romero-Serrano R, García-Padilla FM. · europepmc.org · August 15, 2026