Gender differences and the will-to-live in old age.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Global statistics indicate women's disadvantage in education, income, health, and psychological resources compared to men.
• These disparities are linked to lower subjective wellbeing (SWB) in women.
• Existing scales for SWB capture various facets but a specific measure for older adults is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the global prevalence of gender differences in wellbeing.
• To introduce the Will-to-Live (WTL) scale, a novel wellbeing indicator for older adults.
• To investigate gender-based differences in the desire to live among the elderly.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Will-to-Live (WTL) scale in studies involving older adults.
• Analyzed data to assess the WTL as an indicator of wellbeing and its correlation with gender.
• Examined the WTL's predictive value for mortality and its differing explanatory factors between genders.

Main Results:

• The WTL scale functions as a comprehensive wellbeing indicator, confirming women report lower SWB and life commitment than men.
• WTL scores predict mortality risk specifically in women.
• Factors influencing WTL differ between older men and women.

Conclusions:

• The WTL scale is a valid, reliable, and user-friendly tool for assessing wellbeing in older adults.
• It effectively captures gender disparities in wellbeing and life commitment.
• The WTL's diagnostic and prognostic utility supports its use in monitoring wellbeing and intervention effectiveness.