P-004 an Investigation Into the Relationship Between Occupation and Quality of Life Among the Elderly Population in a Jharkhand State of India: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction Improving the well-being of the elderly community and promoting their health and social engagement pose significant challenges in public health during the twenty-first century. Methods The research was conducted with 303 elderly individuals who met specific eligibility criteria. Ethical approval was obtained for a community-based cross-sectional study among people aged 60 years and above, living within a 3 km radius of Manipal TATA Medical University in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand. The study employed the snowball technique and took place in November and December 2022, with joggers participating in the data collection process by visiting parks in the morning and evening. To assess the quality of life, the study utilized the Stark questionnaire, which incorporates imagery and measures both the mental and physical health components of health-related quality of life (QoL). Occupations were categorized according to the International Classification of Occupations, which divides jobs into 10 major groups. Results During the study, 303 elderly individuals who met the study criteria participated. The largest age group among them was between 66 and 75 years old (43.2%). The majority of the participants were male (82.5%), and 52.5% of them had completed their graduate education. Additionally, around 81% of the participants were currently married. Regarding occupation, approximately 29% of the respondents were classified as Plant and machine operators and assemblers, followed by Service and sales workers (25%). Discussion and conclusion Initial analysis indicates a relationship between occupation and quality of life(p=0.00). We concluded that QOL is affected by many different factors.