A study to assess the level of Ego integrity among Geriatric population residing in selected villages of Rural Health and Training Centre (RHTC), Pohir, Ludhiana, Punjab

Abstract

Background: Ego integrity allows person to believe that life is meaningful even when physical ability declines. This belief allows person to accept that one’s life span is limited and face death as part of life. The tendency to review and restructure one’s past becoming more prominent in old age. Material and method: A quantitative research approach and non-experimental descriptive survey design was used to assess level of ego integrity. Data was collected from a sample of 340 geriatric population of selected villages of RHTC, Pohir, Ludhiana, by using convenience sampling technique. Responses were collected by interview schedule on Ryff and Heinicke Ego Integrity Questionnaire (1983). Data was tabulated and analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Result: The study revealed that majority 233(68.5%) of geriatric population were in the age group of 65-74 years, 185(54.5%) females, 334(98.2%) Sikh, 154(45.2%) illiterate, 242(71%) married, 292(86%) belonged to joint family, 163(47.9%) homemaker, 210(62%) living with spouse and children, 188(55.6%) independent, 228(67%) moves freely, 186(55%) chronically ill, 190(55.8%) had vision problem 107(31%) utilized their time with friends, 206(61%) participated in social activity and 192(56%) belonged to lower middle class. Conclusion: The present study concluded that most of geriatric population had high level of ego integrity. Most of them had acceptance of past as compare to satisfaction in life and fear of death. It was concluded that age, educational status, past occupation, presence of chronic illness and socio-economic status had its impact on ego integrity, further it was observed that those who participated in social activity had high level of ego integrity than those who did not participate in social activity.