Life Satisfaction and Basic Needs among Elderly People in Pakistan: Evidence from the PSES Data

As an outcome of demographic transition the composition of the world’s population has changed. In turn percent share of population above 60 years of age will be doubled from 11 percent in 2010 to 22 percent in 2050 worldwide [United Nations (2011)]. Those countries which encountered demographic transition early are now facing the problem of ageing societies. In developing countries, demographic transition started late, and they have not yet encountered the problem of a large proportion of elderly in the population. However, in the coming years with the high proportion of elderly, these countries will also have to face the problems with their poor economic situation and burden of diseases. Therefore it will be a difficult task for developing countries to combat the problem of the large proportion of elderly in the population in the coming years if concrete steps have not been taken at this time. Pakistan, where demographic transition started in the 90’s, has almost six percent (more than nine million) of the population above 60 years of age in the year 2005, and it will rise to 16.5 percent (48 million) in the year 2050. If we look at the ageing index, which is the number of persons 60 years of age or above per hundred persons below 15 years of age, the value was 15.9 in 2005. It will rise to 29 in 2025 and further to 75.5 in the year 2050 due to decline in fertility and steady increase in life expectancy. The old-age dependency ratio has also increased from seven in 2005 to nine in 2025 and will reach 16 in the year 2050 [UN (2006)]

Women’s Autonomy and Happiness: The Case of Pakistan

It is generally believed that “autonomy” brings happiness and satisfaction in women’s lives. In this study we examine whether or not the established autonomy indicators are a source of “happiness” for Pakistani women. By using the nationally representative data, only two indicators, i.e., “women’s education” and “decisionmaking authority”, prove to be important factors in finding “very happy” status in women’s life. Additionally, “possession of assets” also proves to be an important factor in providing the “very happy” status in a women’s life. However, the “possession and utilisation of assets” and “going alone outside the house” are not important indicators of a “very happy” status in women’s life in Pakistan and “Labour force participation” is indicative of unhappiness. The results of this study show that not all established indicators of autonomy bring about happiness in the lives of Pakistani women. This is because Pakistani society differs from other societies, in particular the western society, and hence the concept of “autonomy” in bringing about “happiness” in the lives of Pakistani women yields effects different from those in other societies. Thus, there is a need to focus on the advocacy of only those autonomy variables which lead to happiness in a woman’s life, which is the end-goal for women, who form a vital part of the society.Women

The Relationship between the WES Interventions and the Incidence of Diarrhoea

Access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities have a direct positive impact on health through prevention of water-borne diseases, especially diarrhoeal morbidity of children. Lack of WES (Water and Environmental Sanitation) services and poor hygiene practices in Pakistan contribute significantly to the prevalence of diarrhoea, a major cause of infant death and children less than five years of age. The estimates show that about 30 percent of total deaths among children are attributed to diarrhoeal disease [Gallup (2001); UNICEF (2000)], and 4.1 years in life expectancy can be added if water borne diseases are eliminated [Ali and Haq (2003)]. Hence, reduction of diarrhoeal morbidity stands out as an important policy goal, which can ultimately lead to reduction in infant/child mortality. In this paper, we shall examine the relationship of WES interventions with that of the incidence of diarrhoea among children under age 10.

On the one-loop correction of "phi^4" theory in higher dimensions

We have considered phi^4 theory in higher dimensions. Using functional diagrammatic approach, we computed the one-loop correction to effective potential of the scalar field in five dimensions. It is shown that phi^4 theory can be regularised in five dimensions. Temperature dependent one-loop correction and critical temperature T_c are computed and T_c depends on the fundamental scale M of the theory. A brief discussion of symmetry restoration is also presented. The nature of phase transitions is examined and is of second orderComment: 8 pages, 5 figures. To appear in IJMP

The Relationship between the WES Interventions and the Incidence of Diarrhoea

Access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities have a direct positive impact on health through prevention of water-borne diseases, especially diarrhoeal morbidity of children. Lack of WES (Water and Environmental Sanitation) services and poor hygiene practices in Pakistan contribute significantly to the prevalence of diarrhoea, a major cause of infant death and children less than five years of age. The estimates show that about 30 percent of total deaths among children are attributed to diarrhoeal disease [Gallup (2001); UNICEF (2000)], and 4.1 years in life expectancy can be added if water borne diseases are eliminated [Ali and Haq (2003)]. Hence, reduction of diarrhoeal morbidity stands out as an important policy goal, which can ultimately lead to reduction in infant/child mortality. In this paper, we shall examine the relationship of WES interventions with that of the incidence of diarrhoea among children under age 10