Active ageing index and quality of life

• Author(s): Nunes, Joana Cruz Ferreira
• Date: 2014
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10362/11532
• Origin: Repositório Institucional da UNL
• Subject(s): Active ageing; Weighted-Average indices; Quality of life
• Document Type: Master thesis
• Language: English
• Advisor(s): Barros, Pedro Pita
• Contributor(s): RUN

Description

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Economics from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Objectives: This work project can be divided into 2 parts. The first one is intended to compute Active Ageing Index (AAI) for 16 European Countries and for Lisbon and the second one to study the association of AAI and Quality of Life (QOL) indicators. It also aims at verifying whether the elements that compose AAI, domains or indicators, are also elements that define one’s Life Satisfaction or Life Happiness. Methods: The computation of the index closely follows the original methodology of AAI. The study of the association of AAI and QOL variables is performed by computing AAI at an individual level and by considering the estimations of consecutive Ordered Probit Models. Results: Sweden, Denmark and Switzerland are the frontrunners at actively ageing, among the sample; while Portugal, Hungary and Poland fare the worst. Lisbon faces a smaller untapped potential to Active Ageing (59,41%) than the whole country (65,91%). Additionally, one can consistently conclude that the overall AAI, and its 1st, 2nd and 4th domains are positively associated with QOL indicators. The 3rd domain- Independent, Secure and Healthy Living, specifically the indicator that considers the livelihood in a single or double household, is negatively associated with life satisfaction and life happiness. These results not only represent a paradox, but they also suggest a revision on the construction of the 3rd domain of AAI.