Impact of disability and selected factors on the quality of life in the elderly in southeastern Poland - a cross-sectional study

Background Population aging is associated with an increase in the prevalence of disabilities. Improving the quality of life (QoL) of the elderly has become an inevitable requirement of civilizational and social progress. The study aimed to analyse the relationships between areas of disability, QoL domains, and selected socio-demographic factors. Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a representative population of people aged 65 and older living in southeastern Poland. The primary outcomes were the level of disability measured by the WHODAS 2.0 questionnaire and the level of QoL in the physical health, psychological, social relationships and environment domains measured by WHOQOL-Bref. Information on selected sociodemographic factors was also collected. Results A total of 3276 complete questionnaires were included in the analysis. The highest average level of disability was noted in the domain of Life activities: household (34.80), while the lowest QoL was in the physical domain (58.31). Women generally had lower QoL compared to men. The age of the research participants significantly affected lower QoL in the physical domain. Low education impacted lower QoL in the physical, social, and psychological domains. Single individuals generally had lower QoL in the psychological, social, and environment domains. Physical activity under 150 min./week and exercises significantly improved QoL in all domains. Conclusions Data on the relationship between QoL and functional disability are particularly important in the face of aging population and the related challenges for countries worldwide. The results of our study could serve as a reference point for formulating health and activation programs for the elderly to promote active and healthy aging.