Quality of Life and Its Impact on Morbidity Among the Ageing Population: A Case Study of a District of India

Abstract

Quality of life (QOL) is a crucial indicator of health or morbidity status among the ageing population as well as humans. The ageing population is significantly vulnerable to different types of morbidity. The present study focuses on determining the Quality of Life among the ageing population and its influences on different types of morbidity in Koch Bihar district, India. The study is based on a primary household survey. A total of 510 households are surveyed for this study. The WHOQOL-BREF scale was used, and analysis was done using STATA software. Four binary logistic models are used to identify the impact of QOL on morbidities among the ageing population. The mean QOL score was maximum in the environmental health domain (53.3 ± 14.78), followed by psychological health (48.8 ± 13.78), and lowest in the social relationships domain (48.82 ± 13.78). Better physical health domain score was found among the young-old ageing population. Psychological health was better among Hindus and persons from nuclear families, whereas the male, urban ageing population had a better environmental domain. Psychological domain score was significantly better among the urban female Old-old ageing population, who are from the OBC caste and Hindu religion. Morbidity is classified into three categories, i.e., communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and disability. NCDs have a high prevalence rate among the ageing population. The present study revealed that Quality of Life (QOL) significantly influences morbidity among the ageing population.