Subjective Quality of Life of Polish, Polish-Immigrant, and Polish-American Elderly

Abstract

This study compared the subjective quality of life of elderly Poles living in Poland, and Polish immigrants and Polish-American ethnics living in Chicago. The article is a secondary data analysis of a study that replicated an earlier study conducted in Poland. The study uses three measures of quality of life used in the earlier study-self assessments of health, initiative, and fulfillment of plans and wishes-and develops a composite measure. The results showed that Polish-American ethnic elderly had significantly better subjective quality of life than Polish-immigrant elderly, and Polish-immigrant elderly had significantly better subjective quality of life than elderly Poles in Poland. These conclusions lend support to the idea the U.S.-born elderly people and elderly immigrants to the United States have access to an American cultural construct of "vital aging." However, immigration is also a risk factor worthy of being added to the traditional "triple jeopardy."