Health related quality of life and its correlates among elderly in a selected MOH area of Colombo

Abstract

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Ageing is a universal phenomenon and enhancement of healthy life expectancy is an issue of immense public health importance. The objective of the study was to describe health related quality of life (HRQoL) and its correlates among elderly in the Kaduwela MOH area. METHOD: A community based descriptive cross sectional study was conducted on 460 elders selected through a cluster sampling method. WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire was the instrument used. t- test and multiple linear regression were used for the univariate and multivariate analysis respectively. RESULTS: The mean score for physical health domain was 58.84, and its individual correlates (R2=0.457) were age (p<0.001), employment (p<0.001), morbidity (p<0.001) and ADL (p<0.001). The psychological domain had a mean of 46.75 and its individual correlates (R2=0.324) were age (p=0.013), income (p<0.001), morbidity (p<0.001) and ADL (p<0.001) while co- residency (p=0.029) and standard of living were significant household correlates (R2=0.172). The mean of the social relationships domain was 45.93 and civil status (p=0.024) and ADL (p<0.001) were determined to be its individual correlates (R2=0.185), while co-residency (p<0.001) and standard of living (p<0.001) were the household correlates (R2=0.103). Environment domain reported a mean of 50.02. Its individual correlates (R2=0.282) were income (p<0.001), morbidity (p<0.001) and ADL (p<0.001), while the household correlates (R2=0.217) were ownership of the house (p<0.001), co-residency (p<0.001) and standard of living (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The level of HRQoL among elders appears to be relatively low. The individual and household factors both seems to play a vital role for most of the facets of HRQoL, but the individual correlates varied according to the domains.