Gender, aging, and the economics of "active aging": Setting a new research agenda

J Women Aging. 2018 May-Jun;30(3):184-203. doi: 10.1080/08952841.2017.1295677. Epub 2017 Apr 3.

Abstract

The world is aging, and the percentages of older people are on a dramatic ascent. This dramatic demographic aging of human society is not gender neutral; it is mostly about older women. One of the key policy approaches to address the aging revolution is known as "active aging," crystalized by the WHO in 2002 by three pillars: participation, health, and security. The active aging policy has financial and economic aspects and affects both men and women. However, as argued in this article, a gender-based approach has not been adopted within the existing active aging framework. Therefore, a new gender-specific research agenda is needed, one that focuses on an interrelation between gender and different economic aspects of "active aging" from international, comparative, cultural, and longitudinal perspectives.

Keywords: Active aging; gender; gero-feminism; health perception; poverty; work participation.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Female
  • Gender Identity
  • Healthy Aging / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Public Policy*
  • Research
  • Sex Factors*