Quality of life and associated factors of adults with physical and visual disabilities residing in care-homes in the capital of a lower middle-income country: Sri Lanka

Physically and visually disabled persons in nursing-home based care face numerous challenges and are a vulnerable population subjected to environmental barriers and restrictions potentially leading to poor quality of life. This study aims to describe quality of life (QoL) and its associated factors among persons with physical and visual disabilities residing in care-homes in Colombo district, capital of a lower-middle income country (LMIC). This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study with an analytical component. Physically and visually disabled adults aged 18–65 years, residing in registered care-homes were invited. All eligible participants in all the institutions with residential facilities in 13 Divisional Secretariats of Colombo district were recruited. An interviewer-administered questionnaire including Short form-36 (SF-36) was used to assess QoL. Descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney U test, Spearman Correlation Coefficient and multivariable linear regression were used in analysis at the 5% significant level. There were 292 participants with a response rate of 100%. The majority of participants (n = 113, 38.7%) were aged 46–55 years. The male: female ratio was 1:1. The median (IQR) values of the eight SF-36 domain scores were; 10.00 (IQR 5.00–30.00) for physical functioning, 100.00 (IQR 00–100.00) for role limitation due to physical health (RLPH), 67.50 (IQR 45–87.5) for bodily pain, 60.00 (IQR 50.00–70.00) for general health, 0.00 (IQR 0–100) for role limitation due to emotional health (RLEH), 65.00 (50.0–75.00) for energy-domain, 60.30 (52.00–72.00) for emotional well-being and 75 (IQR 52–72) for social functioning. Regression analysis showed advanced age affected physical functioning (β = − 0.71, p < 0.05) and RLEH (β = − 0.50, p < 0.05), higher disability level was associated with low QoL across seven out of eight domains ( p < 0.05). Employment status affected RLPH, bodily pain, RLEH, energy and social functioning domains ( p < 0.05). Marital status was associated with physical functioning (β = 15.09, p < 0.05). The most influential predictors of QoL for among physically and visually disabled residing in care-homes in LMIC emerged as age, sex, disability level and employment status.