A new study by researchers at the University of Singapore has found that while women in OECD countries tend to live longer than men, they have a lower quality of life in their senior years. The study, published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, analysed data from 18 OECD countries, including Germany, Japan, and the US, to create an index that measures the situation of elderly people across five key aspects of life. The researchers found that women often spend their additional years in poor health and poverty, leading to a lower quality of life in their senior years. The study also found that social integration was the area where the biggest differences between men and women were observed, with women often living alone for several years after the death of their partner.
The study highlights the fact that the global population is ageing rapidly, with almost 10% of the world’s population already over the age of 65. This figure is set to double by 2050, with women still living four to five years longer than men on average. However, the study shows that this longer life expectancy is not necessarily an advantage for women, as they often face greater financial insecurity and social isolation in their senior years. The researchers call for measures to address the lifelong inequality faced by women, including better financial security and programmes to prevent social isolation.
The study found that the Netherlands, Japan, and Scandinavian countries performed best in terms of the quality of life for elderly people, while many countries in Southern and Eastern Europe, including Hungary and Slovenia, performed poorly. The researchers also noted that there were significant differences between countries in terms of the quality of life for elderly men and women, with the biggest differences observed in the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, and Denmark. The study highlights the need for greater attention to be paid to the specific needs of elderly women, who often face greater challenges in their senior years.
