Socio economic factors influencing well-being among dalit elderly ( A study of Shivsata Kashi municipality od Jhapa district

Abstract

This thesis has been titled "Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Well-being Among Dalit Elderly : A Study Based on Dalits Elderly People of Shivastakshi Municipality, Jhapa District," aims to asses the various socio-economic and health-related issues faced by elderly Dalits. The specific objectives include examining their demographic and socioeconomic status, living arrangements, utilization of elderly security allowances, and the impact of elderly pensions and free healthcare services on their well-being. Primary data was collected through direct interviews with 240(113 Males and 127 Females) Dalit elderly respondents aged 60 and above, using semi-structured questionnaires. This descriptive and quantitative study used SPSS for data management and logistic regression for analysis. The respondents 31 percent were aged 60-69, with 30 percent of females and 33 percent of males in the 60-64 age groups and (17.4% females, 18% males) were 75 and above. The gender distribution table shows that 51.2 percent of females and 49 percent of males were currently married. Nearly 95 percent of respondents were Hindu, while 5.42 percent were Christian. Altogether 68 percent of respondents were illiterate. Most respondents 82 percent were involved in agriculture. Arrangement of family was 49.6 percent lived in nuclear families, 48 percent in joint families, and 3 percent lived alone. The majority 77.1 percent have on elderly allowances as their income source, with 83 percent earning less than Rs.1,000 monthly. A high percentage 64.3 percent lived with their children or in-laws, and 73.3 percent were satisfied with their living conditions. Females reported higher satisfaction 77.2 percent compared to males 70 percent. Physical health issues were 41.2 percent reporting physical problems and 75 percent suffering from gastric issues. Total 89 percent experienced depression, and 89 percent felt loneliness or anxiety self-reported. A majority 82 percent received medical treatment from government hospitals, but over 97 percent were unaware of government-provided healthcare provisions. Logistic regression analysis showed that none of the socioeconomic factors, including social security allowance, marital status, education, family type, sex, and age, had statistically significant effects on physical health problems. This study concludes that the socio-economic and health status of Dalits elderly, particularly females, requires more attention. Poor economic conditions were identified as a primary barrier to accessing social and healthcare services, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to improve their well-being.