Title: Determinants of Living Arrangements, Health Status and Abuse among Elderly Women: A Study of Rural Naogaon District, Bangladesh
Abstract: Abstract In this study, the socio-economic backdrops, living arrangements, health status and abuse of the women aged 60 years and older in the rural Naogaon district of Bangladesh are examined. The data were collected from seven villages by using probability proportional to size (PPS) sampling and the results show that an overwhelming majority of the elderly women in the age group 60-69 years who are widowed, illiterate, have no education and income, economically dependent, living with married children, unhealthy, suffer from arthritis related illness and are taking treatment from village doctors. Furthermore, the study shows that, nearly 35 percent elderly women are abused, mostly mentally abused due to poverty. Logistic regression analysis reveals the determinants of living arrangements, health status and abuse of the elderly women. The findings of the study should get due attention to provide secured later life of the elder especially female elderly in Bangladesh and developing nation as well. Keywords: Living arrangements, health status, abuse, elder women, Bangladesh. Introduction The numerical growth of elderly persons around the world is an eloquent testimony not only of reductions in fertility but also of reductions in infant and maternal mortality, improved nutrition, reduction in infectious and parasitic diseases, as well as improvement in health care, education and income. Global total fertility rate has declined from 5.0 live births per woman in 1950-1955 to 2.7 live births per woman in 2000-2005, and is expected to further reduce to replacement level, that is 2.2 live births per woman by 2045-2050 periods (UN, 2005). Also life expectancy has increased from 46.5 years in 1950 to 66.0 years in 2000-2005, and is expected to rise to 76 years by the year 20452050. The most recent population census of 2001 showed hike in the population above 60 years reaching up 6.13 percent of the total population of Bangladesh (BBS, 2003) and this number will reach 14.6 million (about 9 percent of the total population) by the year 2025 (Concepcion, 1987; East-West Center, 2002). The elderly comprises a much larger proportion of the population today than ever before. It is a product of history, individual experience and social forces (Morgan and Kunkel, 2001). The ageing process is characterized by a complex set of social, psychological and biological changes of an individual. The condition of the elderly in a social setting is not merely determined by the inevitable characteristics but also depends upon the cultural practices in the society which happens to be changing at a rapid pace in Bangladesh today. Culturally, Bangladesh is increasingly a youth oriented society. But in fact, demographically it is an ageing society which is reflected in the recent age structure of the population (Sattar, 1996). As population ageing and gender differentials have become prominent issues in recent times, it is being argued that the interest in gender often focuses on inequalities that disadvantage women, while much of ageing research focuses on the economic and social vulnerability of older persons (Mba, 2003 and 2002). Also Mba (2007) found that the discourse related to population ageing and gender differentials asserted or implied that older women are universally more vulnerable to social, economic and health disadvantages than older men. In Bangladesh many older people spend their lives in poverty and ill health which is major risk for the elderly population. After a lifetime of deprivation, old age is likely to mean ill health, social isolation and poverty. Poverty and exclusion are the greatest threats to the well being of older people. This is especially true for older women, who suffer from multiple disadvantages resulting from biases to gender, widowhood and old age. Women, particularly widows, who are without living sons or who live alone, are considered to be particularly at risk of economic destitution, social isolation, poor health and death (Abedin, 2003; Kabir et al. …
Publication Year: 2010
Publication Date: 2010-05-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 43
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