Morbidity Profile and Quality of Life (QOL) of the Beneficiaries of Asraya Project: A Study from Kerala

Introduction: The State Poverty Eradication Mission of Government of Kerala- ‘Kudumbasree’ launched an innovative programme named Asraya for the destitute individuals. The health conditions and level of living seldom studied among these marginalized individuals. This study aims to assess the morbidity profile and Quality of Life (QOL) of the beneficiaries of the destitute rehabilitation project (Asraya) in Thiruvananthapuram district , Kerala. Methods: This crosssectional study was conducted among 150 beneficiaries of the destitute rehabilitation project in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India. Sampling technique used was cluster sampling - Probability Proportionate to Size. A pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the baseline information and WHO QOL BREF was used to assess the quality of life.Data was analyzed using SPSS Version 20. Results: Chronic non-communicable diseases topped the list in their morbidity profile. In general, the Quality of Life of these individuals was poor with a mean score of 30 (22.6). Domain wise analysis produced a score of above 40 in two domains namely physical and environmental. Younger age, access to nutrition, free from diseases and supervision by the authorities were important predictors of QoL. Conclusion: This group of individuals suffered from a multitude of diseases. QoL of the destitute was poor in general, with variations with respect to domains. The quality in the physical domain was relatively better than that in psychological domain.