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Subjective Well-being Among Native and Non-Native Elderly Persons: Do Differences Exist?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Audrey A. Blandford  and
Neena L. Chappell
Audrey A. Blandford
Affiliation:
University of Manitoba
Neena L. Chappell
Affiliation:
University of Manitoba
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Abstract

This paper examines subjective well-being among Native and non-Native elderly persons. Though much has been written about Natives as a disadvantaged group in terms of income, education and health, studies which examine the subjective well-being of Natives are virtually non-existent. Subjective well-being is measured as general satisfaction with life and loneliness in this paper. Independent variables include demographic, health and social indicators. Natives have significantly lower life satisfaction than non-Natives. However, logistic regression analyses indicate that health and social factors are the major predictors of quality of life. While Natives experience a lower quality of life, it is accounted for by their worse health and disadvantaged social circumstances and is not attributable to being Native per se.

Résumé

RÉSUMÉ

Cet article examine le bien-être subjectif parmi les autochtones et les non-autochtones âgés. Plusieurs se sont penchés sur la situation défavorable des autochtones, en particulier sur ce qui a trait au revenu, à l'enseignement et à la santé, mais très peu ont étudié le bien-être subjectif chez les autochtones. Pour le mesurer, les auteurs se sont basés sur la satisfaction de vivre en général et sur la solitude. Les variables indépendantes regroupaient des indicateurs démographiques, sociaux et de santé. Les autochtones ont une satisfaction de vivre considérablement inférieure à celle des non-autochtones. Cependant, les résultats d'une analyse de régression logistique ont révélé que la qualité de vie repose principalement sur des facteurs sociaux et de santé. Cette qualité inférieure parmi les autochtones est causée par un mauvais état de santé et par des circonstances défavorables, et non par le fait qu'ils sont autochtones comme tel.

Keywords

Subjective Well-beingNativesElderlyHealthSocial Interaction.
Type
Research Article
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 9 , Issue 4 , Winter/hiver 1990 , pp. 386 - 399
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1990

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Footnotes

*

The data collection for this study was funded by the Winnipeg Core Area Initiative Program to the Manitoba Indian Nurses Association and the Indian and Métis Senior Citizens Group of Winnipeg, and conducted at the Centre on Aging, University of Manitoba. This research was conducted while the second author was a National Health Research Scholar (#6607-1340-48), NHRDP, Health and Welfare Canada. A version of this paper was presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Association on Gerontology, Quebec City, November, 1986.

1

Director, Centre on Aging, 338 Isbister Building, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2

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