Perceived Income Adequacy and Well-being Among Older Adults in Six Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Theresa E Gildner, Melissa A Liebert, Benjamin D Capistrant, Catherine D’Este, J Josh Snodgrass and Paul Kowal

The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 2019, vol. 74, issue 3, 516-525

Abstract: ObjectivesPerceived income adequacy is positively associated with self-rated health (SRH) and quality of life (QOL) among adults in higher-income countries. Additionally, older individuals often report higher levels of income adequacy. However, it is unclear if these associations, documented primarily in high-income countries, are also evident across economically and culturally distinctive low- and middle-income countries.MethodsData were drawn from the World Health Organization’s Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE), a study of adults aged 50 years or older in China, Ghana, India, Mexico, the Russian Federation, and South Africa. Smaller samples of younger adults (18–49 years) were included for comparison purposes. Participants reported income adequacy, SRH, and QOL. Associations between age and income adequacy and between income adequacy and SRH/QOL were examined using country-specific logistic regression analysis.ResultsOlder adults in China and Russia were more likely to report better income adequacy than their 18- to 49-year-old counterparts; however, the opposite was observed in Ghana and India. SRH and QOL improved as income adequacy increased in all countries.DiscussionAs expected, income adequacy was correlated with SRH and QOL. However, the relationship between age and income adequacy varied cross-culturally, potentially due to differences in familial and governmental financial support.

Keywords: Health economics; Population ageing; Social gradients; Subjective well-being (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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