Health related quality of life among rural elderly using WHOQOL-BREF in the most backward district of India

BACKGROUND: In India, the population of above 60 years was approximately 8.2% in 2011, which is expected to rise to 11.6% by 2026. Due to epidemiological transition of diseases, morbidity of chronic nature will increase with increase of elderly population and it will affect the elderly quality of life (QOL). AIM: This study made an attempt to capture health-related quality of life HRQOL and its correlates among elderly subjects in most backward district of India. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Nagina for a duration of 4 months and included 430 elderly (60 years or above) dwelling in the same place for more than 1 year as participants. The information on sociodemographic details, WHOQOL-BREF scale details and history of chronic diseases or disorders was collected by multipurpose health workers female using a pretested, predesigned, standardized questionnaire. An association between variables and poor quality of life was significant if the P value was less than 0.05. RESULTS: Nearly half of study participants were living in joint families (45.3%) and 67.7% of elderly gave history of chronic morbidity. There were nearly half of participants (48.8%) with poor QoL in physical health domain. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that older age, male, no schooling, without spouse, lower economic status and chronic disorder were independently associated with low QOL score. CONCLUSION: The study reported that nearly half of the elderly (46.7%) had poor health QoL. The family physicians shall provide preventive and promotive measures to reduce the chronic morbidity among elderly to improve QOL.