OBJECTIVES: To identify the predictors of self-reported quality of life (QOL) of nursing home residents in Singapore.  METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of residents in six nursing homes operated by voluntary warfare organizations in Singapore. In face-to-face interviews, trained medical students assessed each consenting resident using a modified Minnesota QOL questionnaire for nursing home residents, a modified Katz index for independence in activities of daily living (ADL), the Abbreviated Mental Test for cognitive function, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV) criteria for depression, and questions assessing communication with others. Residents’ demographic and clinical information was retrieved from medical records. Predictors of residents’ quality of life in five aspects (pain, dignity, food enjoyment, autonomy, and security) were identified using multiple logistic regression models. RESULTS: A total of 375 residents (mean age: 77.3 years, range: 55-101 years, female: 53.9%) completed the interviews, representing an overall response rate of 59.8%. Reporting of pain was associated with depression; reporting of feeling respected was associated with longer length of stay and communication with staff; reporting of enjoyment of food was negatively associated with depression; reporting of autonomy in getting up in the morning was positively associated with communication with staff, greater ADL independence and higher cognitive function, and negatively associated with history of falls; and reporting of feeling safe and secure was positively associated with communication with staff and poorer cognitive function. No association was found between QOL and demographic or other clinical characteristics such as medication and co-morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that depression and difficulty in communication with staff are the two main modifiable risk factors of poor quality of life of nursing home residents in Singapore. The findings of our study may be used to guide interventions to improve the quality of care of nursing homes in Singapore.