Life satisfaction and its Determinants in Rural Aging Population of Lucknow, India

By : Betsy Mehrotra , Nisha Mani Pandey , Pradeep Kumar , Sampada Sinha , S.C. Tiwari

Page No: 33-41

Abstract
Life-satisfaction is necessary for healthy aging and is the right of every citizen. Study of life satisfaction from middle age is important, because age related degeneration and deterioration starts from middle age. Aim: To assess relationship between life satisfaction and its various determinants in aging population. To assess the effects of gender and socio-economic status on overall life- satisfaction. Socioeconomic status (SES) scale was used to assess a person’s life’s circumstances to one’s standards and to produce better results. Methods and materials: The present study was based on a sample of one hundred people: 40 males and 60 females drawn from rural area of Lucknow, U.P. Study sample included all adults above forty-five years of the age living in homes. Statistical analysis used: VARIMAX rotation of factor analysis was used for generating five factors influencing overall life satisfaction. Pearson’s coefficient correlation (r) was used to assess the correlation between various factors and overall life satisfaction. T-test and their p-value was used to assess mean differences among males and females and socio-economic wise distribution of study population (n=100). Results and Conclusions: Gender wise, life satisfaction in males were higher than their females counterpart. In terms of socio-economic status (SES), lower-middle SES experienced more life-satisfaction than upper-middle and upper-lower SES counterparts respectively. Overall life satisfaction was found to be higher for family and recreational domains. While lower level of life satisfaction was for ‘Self’ domain. Most common predictors of life satisfaction were: family, access to recreational facilities, type of settlement and, access to available facilities.

Author :
Pradeep Kumar : Room 2, State Institute of Mental Health, University of Health Sciences, Rohtak–124001