A cross-sectional study on quality of life and comorbidities among geriatric population living in urban field practicing area of a medical college in Kolkata, West Bengal

Abstract

Introduction: Aging is irreversible process accompanied by an increased risk of disease, disability, decreased functional capacity, and eventually death. It affects every individual, family, community, and society. Objectives: The study was to assess the sociodemographic profile, morbidity pattern, and quality of life (QOL) among the geriatric population living in the urban field practice of a Medical College in Kolkata. Methodology: A community-based study was designed to study the morbidity pattern and QOL of elderly residing in the urban field practice of Medical College in Kolkata. As per availability and feasibility, a total of 247 geriatric people were interviewed by visiting house to house. To assess the QOL of elderly people, the World Health Organization BREF questionnaire was used for the study. It consists of physical, psychological, environmental, and social relationship domains. Results: The mean QOL score varied significantly with religion in psychological, social, and environmental health domains, with age in physical, social, and environmental health domains with the type of family in physical and psychological health domains and with marital status in the social relationship domain. Conclusion: The present study revealed that hypertension and diabetes mellitus were the most common morbidities among the elderly study participants, occurring more commonly in females than in males. Among the four domains, the mean QOL score was maximum in the social relationship domain.