Active Aging and Wellbeing in a Cross-National Perspective

Maria-Letizia Tanturri , Università di Padova
Annalisa Donno, Università di Padova
Omar Paccagnella, Università di Padova

As societies age, the well-being of the elderly increasingly becomes a priority and active aging a new challenge. Many studies focuses on individual determinants of wellbeing, while macro-studies usually emphasise a single macro dimension of active aging. A research linking the contextual level of Active Aging and a measure of individual wellbeing is necessary. In this paper we carried out a multilevel analysis on a subsample of 59,267 (50 and over) individuals from the SHARE survey (2015) living in 16 European countries. Individual wellbeing is measured by the composite indicator of CASP (Control, Autonomy, Self-Realization, Pleasure). As a country-level variable we rely on the UNECE Active Aging Indexes. Controlling for a large number of individual characteristics (Demographics, SES, Physical and mental status, Cognitive abilities, Social networks), our analysis shows that living in a context fostering active aging is positively correlated with high level of individual wellbeing other things being equal.

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 Presented in Session 6. Health & Mortality & Aging