Gender Disparities in Living Arrangements of Older People in Ghana: Evidence from the 2003 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey

In this study, the living arrangements of persons aged 60 years and older in Ghana are examined. The data for the study emanate from the household roster component of the most recent nationally representative sample survey, the 2003 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. The focus is on socio-economic and demographic characteristics, as well as co-residential patterns, of the elderly persons. Additionally, use is made of the 1960-2000 census results of Ghana in order to through light on the emerging phenomenon of population ageing in the country. The results show that the proportion of persons aged 60 years or older in Ghana has consistently risen from 5.2 percent in 1960 to 7.2 percent in 2000, representing 38 percent increase, while the number rose from 457,067 in 1960 to 1,367,343 in 2000, representing about 200 percent increase over the period. Differences by sex are marginal. Also, older adults in Ghana live in a variety of household arrangements. The elderly men are more likely to be living in nuclear households, while older women are more likely to be living in extended family households. Logistic regression analyses indicate that determinants of living with adult children and grandchildren differ by sex. A combination of fertility decline, migration, and urbanization puts the older women in a disadvantaged position since there are fewer adult children available to provide support and care, and there is no universal non-familial social security system. It can be argued that knowledge about the types of households in which older women live is a first step to understanding their needs in a part of the world with limited resources such as Ghana

Determinants of Living Arrangements of Lesotho’s Elderly Female Population

The paper addresses the demographic and socioeconomic correlates of living arrangements of women aged 60 years and over in Lesotho using the 1996 Census of Lesotho data file. Simple cross-tabular and multivariate techniques are applied to the household distribution of the census. The results show that a majority of elderly women in the country are widows, live in the rural areas, have had little education, and dwell in extended family households of which a significant proportion of them are the head. The findings further indicate that the age of the women’s surviving children, and advancing age of the elderly themselves are important factors contributing to kin coresidence of the Lesotho elderly female population. The propensity of coresidence is found to increase with advancing age, while higher levels of educational attainment have significant negative correlation with the likelihood of kin coresidence. A combination of fertility decline, migration, and urbanization puts the older women in a disadvantaged position since there are fewer adult children available to provide support and care, and there is no universal non- familial social security system

The Health Condition of Older Women in Ghana: A Case Study of Accra City

In the context of increased rural-urban migration, social exclusion of some of the recent urban arrivals and the sharp change in life style in urban communities, some of the most critical health problems of older people may be found in cities. This paper attempts to characterize the general health condition of older women (50 years and over) in Accra, Ghana’s capital city. It employs secondary analysis of data from the Accra Women’s Survey, 2004. The findings broadly suggest that an overwhelming majority of older women lack basic education, are not in any form of paid employment, and are widowed, separated or divorced. 3% the women rate their general health condition as excellent, 18% as very good, 41 % as good. 35 % believe there health condition has worsened in the last 12 months. Such perception of deterioration in health status is associated with increasing age. Almost 4 in 5 older women have difficulty climbing stairs and have pains in their joints; 53 % have malaria, 42 % have high blood pressure, and 8% have diabetes. Thus, older women in urban Ghana are experiencing a double burden of disease. They are afflicted with the common tropical diseases such as malaria, while simultaneously experiencing chronic illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes. Older persons’ concerns have remained marginal to the major social and economic debates in the country. Health services need to be oriented to responding to chronic as well as infectious diseases among ageing individuals

Population Ageing in Ghana: Research Gaps and the Way Forward

This paper attempts to highlight research gaps and what should be done concerning population ageing in the Ghanaian context. The proportion of the elderly increased from 4.9 percent in 1960 to 7.2 percent in 2000, while the number rose from 0.3 million to 1.4 million over the same period (an increase of 367 percent). Projection results indicate that by 2050, the aged population will account for 14.1 percent of the total population. Very little is known about the living arrangements and health profile of Ghana's older population. With increasing urbanization and modernization, it is important to know something about intergenerational transfers from adult children to their elderly parents, and characterize the elderly persons' food security strategies. Training of researchers will be important in terms of strengthening Ghana's capacity to monitor trends, as well as to conduct research and explore new directions in population ageing research

Upscaling Community-Arranged Preparedness for Preventing Maternal Mortality in Ghana: A Case Study of Keta and Akatsi Districts of Volta Region

The main objective of the study is to assess maternal health in Ghana using empirical evidence from Akatsi and Keta districts of the Volta Region. Interviews were conducted from a sample size of 6,250 respondents within the reproductive age group of 15-49 years drawn from both districts in 2007. The results show that most of the women had only basic education and were generally petty traders, farmers and fishmongers. Overwhelming majority of the women stated that there was no community-arranged preparedness to aid them in times of emergency obstetric care. A significant proportion of the women (about 30%) relied on relatives/friends/home or traditional birth attendants (TBAs) to deliver their babies, while the road network in both districts was poor. The Government of Ghana should therefore rehabilitate roads or construct new ones that could help the people transport emergency complications to the health facility on time to prevent deaths. These TBAs should be trained to recognize complications and not to manage complications professionally and they should be motivated to make referrals to mainstream health facilities. The Government of Ghana should aim at increasing girls’ participation at all levels of the education system in the country since education is the key to ending poverty

Challenges of population census enumeration in Africa: an illustration with the age-sex data of the Gambia

A salient feature of the current literature on development planning in Africa is the growing recognition of the cardinal role of population as a factor in determining the level, pattern and rate of development. In this respect, what is most significant is the recognition accorded to the inter-relationships between population variables and other economic, social and cultural factors. A worthy and desirable goal of all economic and social development is the improvement of the standard of living of the population. It is therefore crucial that development planning should take into account the nature, evolution and characteristics of the population to be catered for in the plan period. An indispensable way of doing this is through empirical evidence emanating from official census enumeration. Biased or defective census data would lead to wrong decisions and future estimates and projections based on defective data will mislead planners and administrators. As an illustration and based on data availability, an attempt was made to assess the quality of the age-sex data in the 1973-1993 censuses of The Gambia. Focus was on the levels and trends of error over the twenty-year period. In order to provide a clear picture of the extent of distortion which might have occurred, the data presented in single years of age were first evaluated by using the Whipple\'s, Myers\', and Bachi\'s indexes. The Whipple\'s index has remained at over 230, while the Myers\' and Bachi\'s indexes have fluctuated around 44 and 29, respectively, over the period. The results show that there were biases from inaccurate age reporting and recording between 1973 and 1993. A closer examination of the age distribution was carried out by trying to curtail part of the erratic fluctuations in the single-year age distribution through grouping the data in quinary ages, and applying the United Nation age-sex accuracy index. This index yielded 92 in 1973, 87 in 1983, and 76 in 1993, indicating that the quality of the age-sex data is still poor in The Gambia. However, age data for males are more accurate than for females. The findings are not peculiar to Gambia. Adequate statistical data for planning is lacking for many countries in Africa. In these countries, a significant amount of collected data lags unduly behind and the universe coverage is generally incomplete. And yet the countries of the region require reasonably accurate statistical information for effective development planning especially of basic societal needs in all sectors: education, employment, health, housing, transportation, and agriculture and food. The planning is essentially predicated on the collection of accurate age and sex data. Uptake in educational levels is likely to reduce age misstatement in the region.Key Words: Africa, age-sex data, census, evaluation, Gambia. RésuméLe trait remarquable de la littérature actuelle sur la planification des économies en Afrique est la reconnaissance croissante du rôle fondamental de la population en tant que facteur dans la détermination du niveau, du modèle et du taux de développement. Ce qui est très important à ce égard, est la reconnaissance accordée à la corrélation entre les variables de la population et d\'autres facteurs économiques, sociaux et culturels. L\'amélioration du niveau de vie de la population est l\'objectif louable et désirable de tout développement économique et social. Par consequent, il est nécessaire que la planification des economies prenne en considération la nature, l\'évolution et les traits de la population dont les besoins sont à satisfaire durant la période du planning. Il est important de relever ce défi par le biais des preuves empiriques qui proviennent du recensement officiel. Les préjugés ou les données d\'un recensement défectueux mèneraient à la prise de mauvaises decisions. Ainsi, les évaluations et les projections du future, fondées sur des données défectueuses tromperaient les planificateurs et les administrateurs. En tant qu\'illustration basée sur la disponibilité des données, une tentative a été faite pour évaluer la qualité des données d\'âge-sexe pendant le recensement de 1973-1993 en Gambie. L\'accent a été mis sur les niveaux et la tournure des erreurs durant la période de vingt ans. Pour fournir une image claire de l\'ampleur des déformations qui pourraient se produire, les données présentées durant les années à chiffres uniques d\'âge ont été tout d\'abord évaluées en utilisant l\'index de Whipples, de Myers et de Bachi.L\'index du Whipple est resté au-dessus de 230, pendant que ceux des Myers et de Bachi ont fluctué autour de 44 et 29 respectivement durant la période. Les occasionnés par des préjugés, auraient été fait entre 1973 et 1993. Une analyse plus minitieuse de la distribution d\'âge a été faite pour réduire des fluctuations irrégulières dans la distribution des années uniques en groupant les données d\'âges quintuples, après avoir appliqué l\'index de précision du sexe-âge des Nations Unies. Les resultants de l\'index sont 92 en 1973, 83 en 1983, et 76 en 1993, une indication qui montre que la qualité des données d\'âge-sexe est toujours médiocre en Gambie. Cependant, les données d\'âge pour les hommes sont plus exactes que celles des femmes.Les resultants ne sont pas spécifiques à la gambie. La plupart des pays africains manquent des données statistiques adéquates pour la planification. Dans ces pays, la grande partie des données recueillies ont trop du retard en matière d\'exactitude et l\'univers couvert est aussi généralement incomplet. Cependant les pays de la région ont besoin des informations et des statistiques précises et exactes pour la planification efficace et le développement des economies, surtout pour la planification des besoins vitaux de la société et de tous les secteurs: l\'éducation, l\'emploi, la santé, le logement, le transport, l\'agriculture et la nourriture. La planification doit normalement être basée sur des données exactes d\'âge et de sexe receillies. Une amélioration des niveaux d\'études est susceptible de réduire l\'inexactitude d\'âge dans la région. Les mots clés: Afrique, données d\'âge-sexe, recensement, évaluation, GambieInstitute of African Studies: Research Review Vol. 20(1) 2004: 9-1

Nigeria's Population Policy and Future Fertility Decline

The government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, promulgated its first explicit population policy in 1988, in response to the soaring population growth rate that impedes developmental efforts. The policy document has stipulated a number of quantitative demographic targets. Paramount among these is the intention to reduce total fertility rate (TFR) to 4, raise the use of family planning methods to 80 per cent, and raise mean age at first marriage to 18 years, by the year 2000. However, a macrosimulation analysis of changes in the proximate determinants of fertility as enshrined in the policy document reveals that Nigeria's TFR will fall from about 6 to 2 instead of 4, which is far beyond the government's expectations. It is, therefore, needful to revisit the demographic targets of the population policy of Nigeria. Key Words: Nigeria, Population policy, macrosimulation, fertility, proximate determinants (Institute of African Studies Research Review: 2002 18(2): 23-38

Population ageing and survival challenges in rural Ghana

The significant achievements of global declines in infant and maternal mortality, reductions in fertility, decreases in infectious and parasitic diseases and improvements in nutrition and education have resulted in the numerical growth of elderly populations around the world. The demographic profile of Ghana reveals that currently persons aged 60 years and over constitute about 7 per cent of the total population. Most of these elderly persons reside in rural areas. The principal data for this study emanate from the 1960, 1970, 1984 and 2000 census results of Ghana and the 1988, 1993 and 1998 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey data. Population projections by the component method were carried out using the SPECTRUM software, while the medium variant projections were used because of their direct relevance to policy formulation and decision-making. The census results showed that the proportion of the aged population in each age group (60–64, 65–69, 70–74, 75–79, 80+) has risen over the years. Both the number and proportion of the elderly to the total population have consistently increased and the proportion of rural elderly persons rose markedly from 4.1 per cent of the total population in 1960 to 7.9 per cent in 2000. Because of modernization and urbanization, the traditional solidarity network, particularly the extended family system, is disintegrating, leaving the elderly with little or no means of support and care. As a result, Ghana\'s rapidly increasing older population is in a precarious situation that is likely to perpetuate poverty. Key words: ageing, elderly, Ghana, population, rural Journal of Social Development in Africa Vol.19(2) 2004: 90-11

Revisiting Aspects of Nigeria's Population Policy

The government of Nigeria promulgated its first ever explicit and comprehensive population policy in 1988 in recognition of the adverse effects of rapid population growth against the backdrop of recessional social and economic performance. The policy document specifies a number of measurable demographic targets. Given the current demographic and contraceptive profile of Nigeria as evidenced from the latest nationally representative sample survey and census results, corroborated by estimates from other sources, the fertility and family planning targets do not reflect reality. Currently, only about 6% of married women in the reproductive age group are using contraceptive methods, but the policy envisaged contraceptive usage to have risen to 80% by 2000. With this anticipated massive contraceptive uptake, and limiting childbirth to only women aged 18-34 years, the total fertility rate was expected to fall from about 6 to only 4 births per woman by the year 2000. Besides, some other provisions of the policy are ambiguous. For example, family planning service is seen as only the provision of contraceptive methods. A review of the population policy is suggested and should address these issues.Le gouvernement du Nigeria a promulgu\ue9 sa toute premi\ue8re politique de population explicite en 1998 \ue0 la faveur des effets pervers de la croissance rapide de la population due \ue0 la r\ue9cession \ue9conomique et sociale. Le document de politique a affich\ue9 un certain nombre d'objectifs d\ue9mographiques quantifiables. Compte tenu du profil d\ue9mographique et contraceptif du Nigeria tel qu'expos\ue9 dan l'\ue9chantillon repr\ue9sentatif national et les r\ue9sultats du recensement que sont venues confort\ue9es des estimations tir\ue9es d'autres sources, les objectifs de f\ue9condit\ue9 et de planification familiale ne refl\ue8tent pas la r\ue9alit\ue9. Pr\ue9sentement, seules 6% environ des femmes appartenant au groupe d'\ue2ges des femmes f\ue9condes utilisent des moyens contraceptifs alors que la politique avait pr\ue9vu que l'utilisation de la contraception augmenterait de 80 % en l'an 2000. Dans la perspective de cette utilisation massive de la contraception combin\ue9e \ue0 une limitation des probabilit\ue9s de grossesse \ue0 la tranche d'\ue2ge comprise entre 18 et 34 ans, le taux global de f\ue9condit\ue9 devait passer de 6 naissances par femme \ue0 4 naissances seulement en l'an 2000. En outre, quelques autres dispositions de la politique sont ambigu\uebs. Par exemple, le service de la planification familiale est r\ue9duit \ue0 la mise \ue0 disposition de m\ue9thodes contraceptifs. Cet article \ue9value la politique de population qui doit traiter de ces probl\ue8mes