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Gender Differentials in Subjective Well-Being Among Religious Elderly Yoruba People in Southwest Nigeria

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Abstract

This paper examined gender variations in subjective well-being among religious elderly populations in Yoruba community in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. Data were generated through purposive sampling of 300 elderly populations aged 60 years and above who are actively involved in religion. Self-esteem scale (with 3 items), Satisfaction with life scale (SWLS) (Pavot, 1991) (with 5 items) and Satisfaction with friendship, hobbies, place of living and family life were used to measure subjective well-being among the respondents. Ninety nine percent of females reported high self-esteem while 94.2 % of males reported same. The chi square analysis (χ2 = 0.028, p = 0.03) revealed that there was significant relationship between gender and self-esteem. In addition, majority of the sample (97.8 % males and 98.8 % females) score high on the relationship between gender and satisfaction with life. Satisfaction with family life, friendship, hobbies, and place of residence total score was high for both sexes. The study concluded that male elderly are more likely to report high subjective well-being (99.3 %) than female elderly (98.1 %).

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions of Dr (Mrs) Clementina Osezua (Department of Sociology and Anthroplogy) and Dr Rotimi Taiwo (Department of English Language), Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, for their guidance in the early stages of this work. The authors would also like to acknowledge the thoughtful evaluation of this manuscript by the anonymous reviewers of this journal.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Entrepreneurship and Development Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

    Funmilayo Juliana Afolabi

  2. Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

    Olabisi Idowu Aina

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  1. Funmilayo Juliana Afolabi
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  2. Olabisi Idowu Aina
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Correspondence to Funmilayo Juliana Afolabi.

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Afolabi, F.J., Aina, O.I. Gender Differentials in Subjective Well-Being Among Religious Elderly Yoruba People in Southwest Nigeria. Ageing Int 39, 180–193 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-014-9197-8

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