Publication:

Health related quality of life and its associated factors in an urbanised village of Delhi

Background Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important indicator of overall well-being that reflects the physical, mental, and social functioning of individuals. Rapid urbanization in India has resulted in the emergence of urbanized villages characterized by mixed socioeconomic conditions, environmental stressors, and changing lifestyle patterns, which may adversely influence HRQoL. This study aimed to assess HRQoL and its associated factors among adults in an urbanized village of Delhi.

Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted during November-December 2025 among 362 adults aged ≥18 years residing in Aliganj, an urbanized village in Delhi. Participants were selected using systematic random sampling. Short form (SF-12) was computed using standard scoring procedures. Data were analysed using SPSS version 31. Independent sample t-test was applied to assess associations between HRQoL scores and sociodemographic variables, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant.

Results Overall, 59.4% of participants had good physical HRQoL (PCS), whereas only 43.1% demonstrated good mental HRQoL (MCS). The highest mean domain score was observed for Role Emotional (4.45±0.97), while physical functioning had the lowest mean score (2.53±0.61). Mental HRQoL was significantly associated with age (p=0.006), sex (p=0.027), physical activity (p=0.020), socioeconomic status (p=0.025), and marital status (p=0.018).

Conclusions HRQoL among adults in the urbanised village was suboptimal, with mental health being more adversely affected than physical health. Targeted community-based interventions focusing on mental health promotion, physical activity, and socioeconomic support are essential to improve overall quality of life.