Purpose: This study was done to identify the relationship of malnutrition, social network and health-related
quality of life and to investigate the main factors influencing health-related quality of life in elders. Methods: The
research design was a descriptive survey design using a convenience sampling. Data were collected by self-report
questionnaires from 196 elders. Data analysis was done using SPSS 18.0 pc+ program for descriptive statistics,
Pearson correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression. Results: The average score for health related
quality of life was 3.33 (SD=0.86). Differences in health-related quality of life were statistically significant
according to age, gender, occupation, presence of spouse, monthly income, source of income, economic status,
medicine, and existence of chronic disease. Health-related quality of life was significantly correlated with
malnutrition and social network. Major factors affecting health related quality of life for elders were malnutrition,
occupation, age, social network, and economic status which explained 52.0% of the variance in health related
quality of life. Conclusion: Findings provide a basis for developing nursing interventions to improve health-related
quality of life. Future studies are needed a wide variety of variables that might influence health -related quality of
life in elders.