Quality of life and Morbidity Pattern among Inmates of Old Age homes in Valley Districts of Manipur: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Despite the increase in the number of elderly people is an achievement for mankind, this does not necessarily guarantee them the dignity to live well. The increase in longevity and decline of joint family and breakdown in social fabric pushes seniors into loneliness and neglect. This study aims to assess the morbidity pattern and quality of life among inmates of old age homes. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among inmates of old age homes of valley districts of Manipur from January 2021 to December 2022. Inmates were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Quality of life was assessed by WHOQOL-OLD questionnaire. Univariate analysis was done using Chi-square test and t-test. Multivariate logistic regression was performed. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Hypertension (34.8%) was the most common health problem found among the inmates. Other common morbidities were cataracts, hearing loss, and musculoskeletal diseases. Majority of the participants (82.9%) had fair quality of life, (15.9%) good quality of life and only 1.2% had poor quality of life. Education, hearing loss and blindness were some of the factors associated with fair/ poor quality of life (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Three in every ten elderlies had hypertension. Almost one-fourth of the participants had cataracts. Eight in ten elderlies were found to have fair/ poor quality of life among inmates of old age homes. Routine health check-ups by health care providers and providing the necessary aid by the concerned authorities are highly recommended to improve the quality of life of the elderly to a certain extent.