Objective To explore the differences in negative emotions and quality of life between gastric ulcer patients and healthy volunteers, compare the clinical characteristics of elderly patients and young and middle-aged patients with gastric ulcer, and analyze the factors affecting the quality of life of gastric ulcer patients in different age groups. Methods A total of 315 patients with gastric ulcers admitted to the Department of General Medicine of Qionghai Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital from January 2020 to January 2022 were included in the observation group, and 180 healthy examinees at the Health Examination Department were included in the healthy control group. According to age, the patients in the observation group were divided into the young and middle-aged group (aged 33-59 years; n=163) and the elderly group (aged ≥ 60 years; n=152). The short-form-36 health survey (SF-36) and hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) were used to evaluate the quality of life and emotions of anxiety and depression in the subjects. The clinical characteristics were analyzed in the young, middle-aged and elderly patients with chronic gastric ulcers. SPSS 22.0 was used for data analysis. A multiple linear regression model was employed to analyze the factors affecting the quality of life of the young, middle-aged and elderly patients with gastric ulcer. Results The scores for physical function, body pain, general health, social function, emotional funciton, mental health, and total score on SF-36 scale in the observation group were lower than those in the healthy control group; the scores for anxiety and depression, and the detection rates of anxiety, depression and anxiety coupled with depression were higher than those in the healthy control group; and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The scores for body pain, emotional function, mental health, and total score on SF-36 scale in the elderly group were higher than those in the young and middle-aged group; the scores for anxiety and depression, and the detection rates of anxiety, depression and anxiety coupled with depression were lower than those in the young and middle-aged group; the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared with the young and middle-aged group, the proportion of patients with concurrent underlying disease in the elderly group was higher; the proportion of patients with abdominal pain was lower; the proportions of patients with hematemesis or melena, anemia/fatigue, atypical symptom helicobacter pylori infection and gastrointestinal bleeding were higher; the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Multivariate linear regression analysis indicated that the social life event over load (β=-0.135, P<0.001) and anxiety (β=-0.213, P<0.001) were factors affecting the quality of life in the young and middle-aged patients with gastric ulcer, and that the family monthly income (β=0.175, P<0.001) and gastric ulcer-related complication (β=-0.278, P<0.001) were factors affecting the quality of life in the elderly patients with gastric ulcer. Conclusion The quality of life in patients with gastric ulcer is significantly lower than that in healthy people, and the detection rates of anxiety and depression are higher. Compared with young and middle-aged patients, the disease has less impact on body pain, emotional function of elderly patients with gastric ulcer, and the detection rates of anxiety and depression are lower in elderly patients with gastric ulcer, but the overall quality of life of patients with gastric ulcer in different age groups does not differ significantly. The influencing factors of quality of life in patients with gastric ulcer in different age groups are also different.