Background: Due to the increasing life expectancy and aging population, attention to general health and marital satisfaction of older people can provide an opportunity to improve their living conditions. Objective: This study aims to assess the general health indicators of older couples to predict their marital satisfaction. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 110 older couples (men and women) living in Qazvin, Iran who were selected using two-stage cluster sampling technique. A demographic form, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and The ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale (EMSS) were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression analysis were used for data analysis. Findings: The Mean±SD age of older women and men±SD was 64.15±5.46 years and 67.68±6.93 years, respectively. Their Mean±SD EMSS score was reported 109.72±12.58. Multivariate analysis showed that gender (β=0.169, P=0.050), age (β=0.097, P=0.567), age of marriage (β=0.214, P=0.002), somatic symptoms (β=0.233, P=0.013), anxiety/insomnia (β=0.227, P=0.008), social dysfunction (β=0.326, P<0.001), and depression (β=0.356, P<0.001) could significantly predict marital satisfaction. Conclusion: Different dimensions of general health can affect marital satisfaction of older couples. Therefore, interventions in these domains and the promotion of general health level can lead to increased marital satisfaction and, consequently, quality of life in the elderly.

Background: The use of communication technologies enables the older people to deal with limitations and problems of modern life. Objective: This study aims to determine the socio-demographic factors predicting the use of common communication technologies (computers, internet, ATMs, and mobile phones) by the elderly in Iran. Methods: In this descriptive analytical study conducted in 2017, participants were 165 older adults from Qazvin, Iran who were selected using a cluster sampling method. Data collection tools were a demographic checklist and researcher-made questionnaire for assessing the use of communication technologies. Descriptive tests and multivariate regression analysis were used for data analysis. Findings: The mean age of participants was 68.38±7.89 years. Majority of them reported that they do not use computer (n=127, 77%) and internet services (n=112, 67.9%). The results of multivariate regression analysis showed that age (β=-0.209, P=0.002), gender (β=-0.142, P=0.029), educational level (β=0.501, P=0.000), and financial status (β=0.142, P=0.023) were the predictors of the use of common communication technologies by the older adults. Conclusion: A small percentage of the elderly in Iran use computer and internet. Therefore, it is very important to hold educational programs for the elderly to get familiar with and use new communication technologies.