Quality of life among geriatric population living with functional disabilities: A comparison between urban and rural populations of West Bengal.

Abstract

Global elderly population's growth is evident, with projections reaching 2 billion by 2050, while India's geriatric population is expected to rise to 11.6% by 2026. Disparity in quality of life (QOL) and disabilities between urban and rural elderly exist, where rural elderly maintain active roles, while urban counterparts face economic insecurity post retirement. The study explores QOL differences among geriatric individuals with functional disabilities. This is a cross-sectional descriptive observational study conducted among geriatric populations from urban Dhapa and rural Khalia, who were surveyed. The sample size was 100 for both urban and rural areas. Data collection involved interviews with predesigned, pretested, semistructured schedules. Systematic random sampling was used for participant selection. Among the study populations, 64% and 62% were male population, 63% and 76% were from general caste, 43% and 42% were in the age group of old to very old (70-79 years), 41% and 26% were gainfully employed, 18% and 96% were belonging to lower-middle to lower socioeconomic class in urban and rural areas, respectively. The study revealed 28% urban and 49% rural study population and 28% were disabled. While assessing QOL, statistically significant differences were found in the environmental domain and social relationship domain. Around 1/3^rd in urban areas and nearly ½ in rural regions were disabled. Older individuals, Muslim community, general caste, and lower socioeconomic class were predicting factors. Physical, psychological, and social-relationship domain scores were higher among rural population, and the environmental domain mean score was higher among the urban populations.