Subjective Well-Being Inequality Among Thai Older Adults: Evidence From the Health, Aging, and Retirement in Thailand (HART) Survey
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Abstract
This study examines subjective well-being inequality among older adults in Thailand using the 2022 wave of the Health, Aging, and Retirement in Thailand (HART) survey, comprising 3,607 observations. Subjective well-being is measured using respondents’ self-reported quality-of-life satisfaction scores. The study applies the mean log deviation (MLD), a decomposable inequality measure, and subgroup decomposition to assess how inequality is distributed within and between groups across the dimensions of demographics, socioeconomic status, health, family structure and support, and social participation. Results show that overall subjective well-being inequality is relatively low and is dominated by within-group variation, indicating substantial heterogeneity among older adults with similar observable characteristics. However, between-group inequality varies across dimensions. Health status, measured by self-rated health, has the largest between-group component, followed by geographic disparities, particularly provincial differences. Social participation explains a moderate share of inequality, whereas socioeconomic and family-related factors contribute only small shares. These findings suggest that subjective well-being inequality among older adults in Thailand is structured more by health status, geographic context, and social engagement than by conventional socioeconomic factors. The results support a multidimensional approach to later-life well-being policy, while noting that the analysis identifies patterns of inequality rather than causal effects.
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References
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