Health-related quality of life and physical activity level among older adults in Angeles City, Philippines

As the number of older adults in the Philippines continues to rise, preserving a high health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has emerged as a significant public health concern. Physical activity (PA) is recognized for its impact on health outcomes; however, research on its relationship with HRQoL among community-dwelling older adults in the Philippines remains limited. This study aimed to assess HRQoL and PA levels among older adults in Angeles City, identify socio-demographic and clinical factors associated with both HRQoL and PA, and examine the relationship between PA and HRQoL. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 396 randomly selected older adults aged 60 to 96 years from 33 barangays in Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines. Data collection was conducted using interviewer-administered questionnaires, including the RAND-36 to assess HRQoL and the PASE to evaluate physical activity levels. Descriptive statistics, binary logistic regression, and linear regression analyses were performed on the collected data. The overall mean score for HRQoL was 81.5 ± 14.9. Among the different domains, social functioning received the highest score, while general health scored the lowest. Higher levels of PA were significantly linked to younger age and male sex. Lower HRQoL was notably associated with disabilities (OR = 0.16), arthritis (OR = 0.44), and regular medical consultations (OR = 0.44). Furthermore, PA levels demonstrated a significant association with HRQoL (OR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.46–3.25). Linear regression analysis confirmed that PA is a significant predictor of HRQoL (β = 0.192, p < 0.001). PA is a significant determinant of HRQoL among community-dwelling older adults in Angeles City. Community-based programs promoting safe and age-appropriate physical activities should be strengthened to support healthy aging in urban Filipino communities.