ELDERLY LIVING ARRANGEMENT: DOES IT IMPROVE THE REAL OR PERCEIVE HEALTH STATUS AMONG ELDERLY IN RURAL BANGLADESH?

Bangladesh is passing through the later stages of demographic transition with its inevitable challenges of a huge numbers of elderly people. Using a WHO study on AGEing and adult health the study attempts to analyze the elderly situation. Data were collected from 4,000 elderly people on self-rated health, health state. The study is examining whether the living arrangements and family structure of the elderly have any effect on self-rated health, health state, of the elderly people.
Multivariate analyses show a consistent inverse relationship between self rated health and health status and age. Self rated health and health status decreases with increasing age. Elderly Females have significantly worse health (self rated) than male and higher educated and rich enjoy better health (self rated). In terms of household structure data show that elderly living in nuclear family enjoys better health but elderly living in stem and stem joint household. Finally, while age worsens health, higher education and wealth provide better health to the elderly. Living in nuclear family provides better health than living in either eroded or joint and extended family. In term of household structure and health status result is different for different health state.