Association of family support, depression, and health-related quality of life among older adults in Himachal Pradesh, India

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between family support, depression and HRQOL of the older adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 420 participants aged 60 and above from Maharishi Markandeshwar Medical College and Hospital, Solan from May to October 2025. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling. Data were collected via structured interviews using the Family APGAR scale, Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and Older People’s Quality of Life (OPQOL) questionnaire. Pearson correlation, Bivariate and multivariate analysis were conducted to analyze the data. P value was set at < 0.05. In a study with 420 older adults, factors significantly associated with good family support included living with a spouse and children ( p = 0.018) and financial self-sufficiency ( p < 0.001). Conversely, depression ( p < 0.001) and poor quality of life ( p < 0.001) were strongly associated with inadequate family support. Multivariate analysis reported that financial self- sufficiency (AOR: 2.10; 95% CI: 1.16–3.81; p = 0.014), moderate/severe depression (AOR: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.22–0.84; p = 0.013), and good quality of life (AOR: 15.52; 95% CI: 8.81–27.34; p < 0.001) remained independently associated with family support. Perceived family support is strongly associated with psychological health and quality of life in older adults. Strengthening familial bonds and integrating family-centered approaches into geriatric care may help support psychological well-being and overall quality of life within aging populations. This study was registered in Clinical Trial Registry-India (CTRI) on 11 April 2025 with registration number CTRI/2025/04/084618.