scholarly journals Getting Old Well in Sub Saharan Africa: Exploring the Social and Structural Drivers of Subjective Wellbeing among Elderly Men and Women in Uganda

Author(s):  
Andrea Rishworth ◽  
Susan J. Elliott ◽  
Joseph Kangmennaang

While literature attempts to explain why self-reported subjective wellbeing (SWB) generally increases with age in most high-income countries based on a social determinants of a health framework, little work attempts to explain the low levels of self-report SWB among older persons in sub-Saharan Africa. Using the 2013 Uganda Study on Global Aging and Health with 470 individuals, this research examines (i) direct and indirect effects of age on SWB through social and structural determinants, and (ii) how direct and indirect effects vary by gender. Results show a significant direct and negative effect of age on SWB (β = 0.42, p = 0.01). Six indirect paths were statistically significant and their indirect effects on wellbeing varied by gender. Providing support, education, working status, asset level, financial status and financial improvement were significantly positively associated with men’s SWB, whereas younger age, providing community support, participating in group activities, number of close friends/relatives, government assistance and all socio-economic variables were significantly positively associated with women’s SWB. Strategies to address gendered economic, social and political inequalities among and between elderly populations are urgently needed.

1988 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-34
Author(s):  
Leongard Goncharov ◽  
C.S. Whitaker

Another critical problem for Africa, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa is that of desertification. The crisis of desertification in the Sahel and other dryland regions of Africa increases exponentially, that is, its effects are incrementally debilitating. Each year of delay in dealing with this problem in an effective way, using available technology and resources, moves the problem further beyond our capacity to handle it. Furthermore, desertification has many direct and indirect effects on, among others, food production, land use, transport, housing, and weather patterns, further compounding the problem. The scale of the problem is enormous, and neither African governments nor international organizations organizations have mounted an effective response. The problem of desertification in Africa is, however, to a great extent, a tale of opportunities missed. The application of existing technology and resources has encountered obstacles and resistance, while potential resources have failed to materialize.


Author(s):  
Rhys Jenkins

The chapter considers three aspects of China’s economic impact on Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). It looks first at the direct and indirect effects of increased Chinese demand for commodities, which benefitted a number of LAC economies in the short and medium term. China’s role in financing and building infrastructure in the region has been less significant than in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The impact on manufacturing has been of much greater concern, with all the main countries in the region facing increased competition in the domestic market, and those that had developed significant exports of manufactures also losing out in third markets. Three case studies of Brazil, Mexico, and Chile illustrate different patterns of economic relations between China and Latin America.


Author(s):  
Rhys Jenkins

The chapter considers three key aspects of China’s economic impact on Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). First, the direct and indirect effects of increased Chinese demand for commodities, which benefitted a number of SSA economies in the short and medium term, are looked at. China’s major contribution to development in the region has been through financing and building infrastructure. Finally, the impact on SSA manufacturing is analyzed. Despite concerns about the negative impact on domestic industry, it only appears to be a major problem in South Africa. However, optimistic views of the potential for Chinese firms to contribute to industrialization in the region appear over-optimistic. The chapter also includes case studies of the impact of China’s economic involvement in Angola, Ethiopia, and South Africa, which represent three different types of Sino-African relations.


Author(s):  
Panmial Priscilla Damulak ◽  
Suriani Ismail ◽  
Rosliza Abdul Manaf ◽  
Salmiah Mohd Said ◽  
Oche Agbaji

Optimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains the bedrock of effective therapy and management of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This systematic review examines the effect of interventions in improving ART adherence in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), which bears the largest global burden of HIV infection. In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, and based on our inclusion and exclusion criteria, PUBMED, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar databases were searched for published studies on ART adherence interventions from 2010 to 2019. Thirty-one eligible studies published between 2010 to 2019 were identified, the categories of interventions were structural, behavioral, biological, cognitive, and combination. Study characteristics varied across design, intervention type, intervention setting, country, and outcome measurements. Many of the studies were behavioral interventions conducted in hospitals with more studies being randomized controlled trial (RCT) interventions. Despite the study variations, twenty-four studies recorded improvements. Notwithstanding, more quality studies such as RCTs should be conducted, especially among key affected populations (KAPs) to control transmission of resistant strains of the virus. Reliable objective measures of adherence should replace the conventional subjective self-report. Furthermore, long-term interventions with longer duration should be considered when evaluating the effectiveness of interventions.


2021 ◽  
pp. 026666692110289
Author(s):  
Taiwo Akinlo

The study examined the relationship between information technology and insurance development in 40 sub-Saharan African countries during the period 2000-2017. The study employed System Generalised Method of Moment for the estimations. Life insurance premiums, non-life insurance premiums and total insurance premiums are used to measure life insurance, non-life insurance and total insurance, respectively. The information technology is measured by mobile phone, fixed telephone and Internet penetrations. The study found that the Internet promotes non-life insurance while its effect on life and total insurance is insignificant. The mobile phone produced a negative effect on life insurance, non-life insurance and total insurance. However, fixed telephone significantly contributed to life insurance, non-life insurance and total insurance. Based on these findings, there is a need for insurers to encourage their client to use information technology tools for insurance activities and also increase their interaction with their customers.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 4-13
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Otitolaiye ◽  
Tunji Siyanbola

Dividend policy remains an important topic in modern corporate finance. Researchers, managers, and business owners seek to understand the optimal dividend policy. This study examined dividend policy as a driver of corporate growth in sub-Saharan Africa: evidence in Nigeria. The ex-post facto research design was adopted to analyse how dividend policy spur the growth of active insurance companies in the Nigerian Stock Exchange using secondary data of the sampled firms for 2007 – 2018 while utilising descriptive and inferential (regression) statistics in data analysis. The findings reveal that dividend policy in terms of dividend payout has an insignificant negative effect on corporate growth of insurance companies in Nigeria (?= -8.09E-05, p=0.77; Adjusted R2=0.4093; F(4,139)=3.29; p=0.00 with the controlling effect of efficiency, firm age and leverage which have a significant effect on corporate growth of insurance companies in Nigeria. Specifically, the study reveals that efficiency has a significant negative effect on corporate growth (?=-5.29, p<0.05); while firm age discloses a significant positive influence on corporate growth (?=0.417, p<0.05); as leverage exerts a significant negative effect on corporate growth (?=0.052, p<0.05). Therefore, the study concludes that dividend policy does not significantly drive insurance companies' dividend payout growth. The study recommends that insurance companies' management retain more of their profits, improve their efficiency, and control their leverage to further growth.


2021 ◽  
pp. 135910532110448
Author(s):  
Songli Mei ◽  
Tongshuang Yuan ◽  
Leilei Liang ◽  
Hui Ren ◽  
Yueyang Hu ◽  
...  

The study aimed to investigate the level of life satisfaction (LS) among Chinese female workers after resuming work during the COVID-19 epidemic, and to further explore the potential mediating and moderating roles in the association between family stress and LS. Self-reported questionnaires were completed by 10,175 participants. Results showed that the level of LS decreased. The family stress had a negative effect on LS, and the effect was mediated by anxiety symptoms. Additionally, age moderated the direct and indirect effects within this relationship. Interventions aiming to improve LS should consider these aspects and younger workers should be given special attention.


Author(s):  
Mavhungu Abel Mafukata

The main objective of this paper is to predict the consequences of China's impending economic crisis on global economy – with reference to Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in particular. The specific objective of this paper is to investigate and explore the increasing dominance of economic practice of China in SSA. China is a critical principal player in the economy of SSA. China's influence and dominance of the SSA economy might have negative effect on SSA in case of any implosion of the Chinese economy. Data were collected from print and electronic sources extracted from the vast body of empirical scholarship of different disciplines on China in SSA.  The results of this paper revealed that China is indeed dominating the economy in SSA. Pointers are that China's economic implosion would have consequences for SSA in the same way as the 2008-2009 global economic recession had around the world. This  paper positively predicts that China's economic and financial implosion remains a possibility, and would impact on SSA.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 420-421
Author(s):  
Andrew Banda ◽  
Norah Keating ◽  
Jaco Hoffman ◽  
Jose Parodi ◽  
Nereide Curreri

Abstract In their recent volume, Critical Rural Gerontology, Skinner et al (2021) challenge us to set aside unidimensional notions of rural communities as bypassed vs very supportive; and to identify the elements of rurality that empower or exclude older people and how these differ across cultures and settings. Covid-19 has highlighted the need for safe and inclusive communities. Given that LMIC will be home to the majority of older adults (Gonzales et al. 2015), we undertook a scoping review of features of rural communities that influence wellbeing of older people in countries across Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa. The review included literature in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese, using search engines MEDLINE, CINAHL Complete, PsycInfo, SocINDEX, SciELO, AJOL (Africa Journals Online), LILACS, Redalyc, LatinIndex and Clacso. Findings illustrate diversity in how community features including remoteness, infrastructure and belonging influence material, social and subjective wellbeing of older residents.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Sarpong-Kumankoma ◽  
Joshua Yindenaba Abor ◽  
Anthony Q. Q. Aboagye ◽  
Mohammed Amidu

PurposeThis study aims to analyze the potential implications of economic freedom and competition for bank stability.Design/methodology/approachUsing system generalized method of moments and data from 139 banks across 11 Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries during the period 2006–2012, this study considers whether the degree of economic freedom affects the relationship between competition and bank stability.FindingsThe results show evidence of the competition-fragility hypothesis in SSA banking, but suggests that beyond a setting threshold, increases in market power may also be damaging to bank stability. Financial freedom has a negative effect on bank stability, suggesting that banks operating in environments with greater financial freedom generally tend to be less stable or more risky. The authors also find evidence of a conditional effect of economic freedom on the competition–stability relationship, implying that bank failure is more likely to occur in countries with greater economic freedom, but with low competition in the banking sector.Practical implicationsThe results suggests to policy makers that a moderate level of competition and economic freedom may be the appropriate policy to ensure the stability of banks.Originality/valueThe study provides insight on the competition–bank stability relationship, by providing new empirical evidence on the effect of economic freedom, which has not been previously considered.


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