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Better understanding of the quality of life among nursing home residents with dementia is important for developing interventions. The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to examine factors associated with poor health-related quality of life in older people with dementia living in nursing homes in Hanoi, Vietnam. In-person interviews were conducted with 140 adults who were 60 years and older with dementia, and information about their quality of life was obtained using the Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease (QOL-AD) scale. The sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with poor health-related quality of life (lowest quartile) were assessed through the results of physical tests, interviews with nursing home staff, and review of medical records. The average age of the study sample was 78.3 years, 65% were women, and their average QOL-AD total score was 27.3 (SD = 4.4). Malnutrition, total dependence in activities of daily living, and urinary incontinence were associated with poor quality of life after controlling for multiple potentially confounding factors. Our findings show that Vietnamese nursing home residents with dementia have a moderate total quality of life score, and interventions based on comprehensive geriatric assessment remain needed to modify risk factors related to poor health-related quality of life.

This study assessed the knowledge and attitude toward palliative care for the elderly among health professionals in a tertiary geriatric hospital in Vietnam and explored their determinants. Cross-sectional data were obtained on 161 geriatric health professionals at the National Geriatric Hospital. Modified-Palliative Care Knowledge Test and Frommelt Attitudes Toward Care of the Dying instruments were used to measure knowledge and attitude toward geriatric palliative care. As a result, 40.5% physicians and 74.2% nurses showed insufficient knowledge about geriatric palliative care ( p < 0.05). The lowest score was for dyspnea, following by gastrointestinal and pain problems. No significant difference was found regarding the attitude between physicians and nurses ( p > 0.05). Health professional category, age, and years of experience were found to be associated with knowledge about palliative care. Meanwhile, only knowledge score had correlations with total attitude score (Coef. = 0.2; 95%CI = 0.1-0.3), attitude toward patients (Coef. = 0.1; 95%CI = 0.0-0.1) and toward patients' family (Coef. = 0.1; 95%CI = 0.0-0.1). This study highlights a significant knowledge gap and preferable attitude toward palliative care for the elderly among physicians and nurses in the geriatric hospital. Intensive training about geriatric palliative care, focusing on pain, dyspnea and gastrointestinal issue management, should be performed to ensure the quality of palliative care services, especially in nurses.