Gender differentials in the socio-economic well-being of older persons in Lagos state, Nigeria

National and international organizations continue to express concerns on older persons worldwide, and have suggested measures for improving their lives and overall well-being within the framework of sustainable development. However, a common experience is that of disentitlements of the older persons regarding their person and other rights. Theoretically, older persons are not a homogenous group. It has been observed that the gender of the individual affects access and opportunities to the available old age security system. For a significant proportion of older persons in Nigeria, socio-economic, socio-demographic, and socio-cultural factors play important roles in influencing their life- course experiences and overall socio-economic well being in later life. This study focuses on the differentials in the situations and capabilities of older persons in Lagos State rather than viewing them as a homogeneous group. The triangulation method was used for the collection of research information. A multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted to select the respondents included in the study. The data collected were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 10.0. Cross-tabulations of social and economic characteristics were done to allow for a general description of the respondents and their household characteristics. Hypotheses testing were done at two levels, using both the chi-square and logistic regression analysis. Chi-square was used to test the level of significant relationship between independent and dependent variables; while the logistic regression technique was used to determine the net effect of explanatory factors on the probability that the gender of the older persons would influence their overall socio-economic well being. This study found that male and female older persons exhibited differences in socio-economic well-being in their later lives. The study further found that inequality in personal income and socio-economic well being is influenced by gender and life course experiences.