Objective  To study the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and its influencing factors among the elderly people in Shanghai municipality and to provide references for improving QoL of the elderly.

  Methods  The data on 11 103 residents aged ≥ 60 years living in 17 districts or counties of Shanghai municipality were extracted from the Fifth National Survey on Health Services sponsored by National Health and Family Planning Commission in 2013. The HRQoL of the elderly was evaluated with Euro-Quality of Life-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) and scored with EuroQol Group Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS).

  Results  Of the 11 103 elderly people, 8 136 (73.28%) reported having no problems on all the five dimensions (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression) of EQ-5D and 16 (0.14%) reported having extreme problems on all the dimensions. The EQ-VAS scores for all the elderly ranged from 0 to 100, with the score of 70 at 25% (Q₂₅) quantile, the score of 80 at the median (50%, Q₅₀), and the score of 85 at 75% (Q₇₅) quantile, respectively. The quantile regression analyses demonstrated that the elderly with following characteristics were more likely to have a higher EQ-VAS score at specific quantile points: married or widowed, smoking everyday, drinking alcohol once a week or more, having physical exercise once a week or more, and having health checkup within a year at 5% (Q₅) and Q₂₅ quantile; being female, drinking alcohol once a week or more, and having physical exercise three times a week or more at Q₅₀ quantile; and with the marital status of married, devoiced or widowed at Q₇₅ quantile. Whereas, the quantile regression analyses revealed that the elderly with following characteristics were more likely to have a lower EQ-VAS score at specific quantile points: more than 70 years old and suffering from chronic diseases at Q₅, Q₅₀, and Q₇₅ quantile; with agricultural registered permanent residence, more than 70 years old, suffering from chronic diseases, and having physical exercise less than one time at Q₂₅ quantile; and with agricultural registered permanent residence and suffering from chronic diseases at 95% (Q₉₅) quantile.

  Conclusion  The health-related quality of life is at a good level and mainly influenced by type of registered permanent residence, age, marital status, whether suffering from chronic disease condition, smoking, alcohol drinking, physical exercise, and whether having a health checkup within one year among the elderly people in Shanghai city.