Late-life immigration among seniors for purposes of family reunification is a growing phenomenon in developed countries. Using the World Health Organization’s Quality of Life instrument short form (WHOQOL-BREF) and other psychosocial measures related to the political/legal context of immigration, and personal and environmental autonomy (mastery, immigration status, access to transportation, and language barrier), this study examined quality of life (QoL) in Asian Indian seniors (N = 109), who immigrated to the United States to reunite with their adult children. The sample scores on Overall QoL and QoL domains (physical and psychological health, social relationships, and environment) were similar to established norms. Although all QoL domains correlated significantly with Overall QoL at the bivariate level, multivariate analysis showed that only environmental domain contributed significantly to Overall QoL. Linear regressions indicated: Mastery contributed significantly to Overall QoL and all QoL domains; access to transport contributed to Overall QoL, physical health, and environmental QoL; immigration status (a proxy for political/legal context) contributed to environmental QoL whereas language barrier contributed to none. Implications for improving perceptions of QoL, mastery, access to transport and other services are discussed. © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Personal autonomy Political context of immigrants Late-life immigrants Asian Indian Quality of life older adults

perception educational status immigrant adult child India human epidemiology immigration Asian continental ancestry group statistics and numerical data Adult Children Aged social interaction language ethnology quality of life psychological well being United States Humans migrant psychology male Emigrants and Immigrants Acculturation Aged, 80 and over female very elderly Multivariate Analysis cultural factor linear regression analysis personal autonomy adult major clinical study migration Emigration and Immigration Child