Assessment of Activities of Daily Living and Quality of Life Among the Elderly in the Rural Area of Tiruvallur District, Tamil Nadu, India: A Cross-Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION: The ageing population in India is growing faster than expected. With improvements in overall living standards and increased life expectancy, the quality of life (QOL) of the elderly needs greater attention. Assessing QOL reflects both the health status and overall well-being of elderly individuals. Additionally, the activities of daily living (ADL) play a crucial role in determining functional independence, as they assess an individual's ability to perform essential tasks such as bathing, dressing, eating, and mobility. Evaluating both QOL and ADL helps in understanding the challenges faced by the elderly, enabling the development of targeted interventions for better health outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the QOL and performance of ADL among 250 elderly subjects visiting the Rural Health Training Centre (RHTC) of a private medical college in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. After obtaining consent from the study participants, interviews were conducted following ethical committee approval. RESULTS: The majority of the study participants (72%) were in the age group of 60-69 years, while 28% were above 70 years of age. Out of the 250 study participants, 155 (62%) were female and 95 (38%) were male. Among these, 42% were dependent on others for social and financial support. The overall mean scores of QOL of elderly people living in rural areas were found to be average, except for the mean score of social domain, which was very low. The mean scores for the environmental domain were higher compared to all other domains of QOL, indicating that elderly individuals living in rural areas were more satisfied with their environment. As age increases, dependence on performing daily activities also increases. However, physical independence was higher across different age and sex demographic variables, with a notable impact on activities under ADL. CONCLUSION: The study found that elderly individuals in rural areas had a mean QOL score, with social relationships scoring the lowest. Dependence on daily activities increased with age, while physical activity showed a positive correlation with QOL. The findings emphasize the need for health education and community-based programs to promote functional independence and social engagement among the elderly.