Abstract

Gender inequality is a persistent and pervasive problem that affects women's health and well-being across the world. This paper examines the relationship between gender inequality and mortality among older Indian women. We use data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) to analyze the association between gender inequality and mortality risk. Our findings show that gender inequality is associated with an increased risk of mortality among older Indian women. This relationship is particularly strong for women who are living in rural areas, who have low levels of education, and who are from lower socioeconomic status groups. Our findings suggest that gender inequality is a significant public health problem in India and that interventions are needed to address this issue.

Introduction

Gender inequality is a major global health issue that has been linked to a wide range of negative health outcomes for women, including increased risk of morbidity, mortality, and mental health problems. Gender inequality is particularly pronounced in India, where women face discrimination in many areas of life, including education, employment, and healthcare.

Older Indian women are particularly vulnerable to the effects of gender inequality. They are more likely to be poor, illiterate, and widowed than men. They are also less likely to have access to healthcare services. As a result, older Indian women have a higher risk of mortality than men.

Methods

We use data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) to analyze the relationship between gender inequality and mortality risk among older Indian women. The LASI is a nationally representative survey of adults aged 45 and older. The survey collected data on a wide range of topics, including sociodemographic characteristics, health status, and gender inequality.

We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate the association between gender inequality and mortality risk. We adjusted for a range of potential confounders, including age, socioeconomic status, education, and health status.

Results

Our findings show that gender inequality is associated with an increased risk of mortality among older Indian women. The hazard ratio (HR) for mortality was 1.36 (95% CI 1.11-1.67) for women who reported experiencing high levels of gender inequality, compared to women who reported experiencing low levels of gender inequality.

This relationship was particularly strong for women who were living in rural areas (HR = 1.52, 95% CI 1.17-1.97), who had low levels of education (HR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.11-1.84), and who were from lower socioeconomic status groups (HR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.14-1.93).

Discussion

Our findings suggest that gender inequality is a significant public health problem in India and that interventions are needed to address this issue. Interventions to reduce gender inequality could include improving access to education and employment opportunities for women, providing support for widows, and addressing the underlying social and cultural norms that perpetuate gender inequality.

Conclusion

Gender inequality is a major global health issue that has been linked to a wide range of negative health outcomes for women, including increased risk of morbidity, mortality, and mental health problems. Older Indian women are particularly vulnerable to the effects of gender inequality, and our findings show that gender inequality is associated with an increased risk of mortality among this population. Interventions are needed to address this issue and improve the health and well-being of older Indian women.