Subjective Well-being Among Native and Non-Native Elderly Persons: Do Differences Exist?

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis paper examines subjective well-being among Native and non-Native elderly persons. Though much has been written about Natives as a disadvantaged group in terms of income, education and health, studies which examine the subjective well-being of Natives are virtually non-existent. Subjective well-being is measured as general satisfaction with life and loneliness in this paper. Independent variables include demographic, health and social indicators. Natives have significantly lower life satisfaction than non-Natives. However, logistic regression analyses indicate that health and social factors are the major predictors of quality of life. While Natives experience a lower quality of life, it is accounted for by their worse health and disadvantaged social circumstances and is not attributable to being Native per se.