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Financial inclusion and physical health functioning among aging adults in the sub-Saharan African context: Exploring social networks and gender roles

Author

Listed:
  • Razak M Gyasi
  • Siaw Frimpong
  • Gilbert Kwabena Amoako
  • Anokye M Adam

Abstract

Background: It remains poorly understood how financial inclusion influences physical health functioning in later life in sub-Saharan African context and whether the association differs by gender and social relationships. We aim 1) to examine the associations of financial inclusion with functional impairment during older age in Ghana; and 2) to evaluate whether gender and social networks modify this association. Methods: The cross-sectional analyses are based on a sample (N = 1,201) of study participants aged 50 years and over (M = 66.5 years, SD = 11.9, 63.3% female) deriving from the 2016–2017 AgeHeaPsyWel-HeaSeeB Study. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analyses with interactions were performed to estimate the link between financial inclusion and functional health and how the association is modified by gender and older age social networks. Results: The mean financial inclusion score was 1.66 (SD = 1.74) in women and 2.33 (SD = 1.82) in men whilst mean activities of daily living (ADL) score was 13.03 (SD = 4.99) and 14.85 (SD = 5.06) in women and men respectively. We found that financial inclusion was associated with decreases in ADL (total sample: β = -.548, p

Suggested Citation

  • Razak M Gyasi & Siaw Frimpong & Gilbert Kwabena Amoako & Anokye M Adam, 2021. "Financial inclusion and physical health functioning among aging adults in the sub-Saharan African context: Exploring social networks and gender roles," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(6), pages 1-15, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0252007
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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