Life Course Experiences and Health Statuses of Older Persons in Southwest Nigeria: A Gender Based Analysis.

The life course experience of individual is an important factor in the understanding of the overall health statuses in the later life in any given society. Evidences have shown in literature that there has been wealth of materials documentations in the other areas of older persons but there are dearth of materials on the relationship between life course experiences and health statuses of older persons in southwest, Nigeria. However, the life course experiences of older men and women are not homogeneous hence the need to investigate into differences in older person’s experiences and its emerging health issues as individuals passes through the various stages in their life so as to understand its consequences in later life. This study attempts an examination of the nexus of interaction between life course experiences and overall health statuses of older persons. The paper is anchored on the Life Course Experiences Theory to explain the problem. 500 questionnaires were distributed through multi-stage sampling techniques and twenty in-depth interviews were conducted among older persons that were purposively selected. Quantitative data was analyzed using frequency distribution and logistic regression analysis method. Qualitative information was analyzed through content analysis and ethnographic summary. The study found that there are lots of interrelated factors that determine health status and overall well-being of individual in south west Nigeria which includes - family background, educational qualification, skill acquisition, age at first marriage among others. The study therefore recommends all inclusive policies that would be beneficial to older persons, particularly in the area of their health and overall well-being.