Dimensions of well-being amongst the elderly population of Ouagadougou

Vincent Leger, Institut Superieur des Sciences de la Population (ISSP)
Sara Randall, University College London
Banza Baya, Université de Ouagadougou

Recent rapid urbanisation combined with improvements in adult health is leading to an increasing population of elderly urban Africans, many of whom live in informal settlements; the majority probably co-reside with their adult children. Although little is known about urban elderly well-being and welfare, one can hypothesise that many are likely to be vulnerable in various ways. This paper combines data from the Ouagadougou DSS (covering 4 poor districts) with 60 qualitative in depth interviews undertaken with a sample of elderly (60+) individuals who are included in the DSS. Using both data sources we analyse different dimensions of elderly well-being : material (housing and material goods), physical (health, access to health care, nutritional status and food security) and social wellbeing (co-residence with children or others, social life and personal assessment of wellbeing and happiness). The paper reflects on the different perspectives of well-being provided by these diverse data sources.