Productive Aging and Psychological Well-Being In Later Life: Evidence from Rural Bangladesh

Background: Productive aging (PA) is increasingly recognized as an important protective factor for the health and psychological well-being (PWB) of older adults. It plays a valuable role in promoting age-friendly societies by enabling older adults to remain socially engaged and to make meaningful contributions to their families and communities. Although existing research, largely from developed countries, suggests a positive relationship between PA and PWB, less is known about how specific dimensions of PA are associated with PWB in developing countries. Older adults in rural areas may experience distinct socioeconomic and cultural conditions that shape their opportunities for engagement and well-being. This study addresses this gap by examining the association between different forms of PA and PWB among older adults in rural Bangladesh.

Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional quantitative design using primary survey data collected from 240 older adults (age 60 and over) residing in rural areas across the eight administrative divisions in Bangladesh. PA engagement was measured across four domains: paid work, non-financial productive activities (e.g., household contributions), caregiving, and volunteering. PWB was measured using the 18-item Ryff Scales of Psychological Well-Being (Ryff, 1989). Data were collected from October 2022 to August 2023. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize sample characteristics and patterns of engagement. Linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between each PA domain and PWB. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess the independent contribution of each PA domain while controlling for relevant sociodemographic covariates.

Results: PA activities were not uniformly associated with PWB. Specifically, participation in paid work and volunteering activities showed a significant and consistently positive associations with PWB in both bivariate analyses (β = .345, p < .001 and β = .504, p < .001, respectively) and multivariate models (β = .284, p< .001 and β = .286, p < .001, respectively). Older adults engaged in these activities reported higher levels of PWB than those who were not engaged. In contrast, non-financial productive activities and caregiving were not significantly associated with PWB in the adjusted models.

Conclusions and Implications: This study contributes to the literature on PA by providing evidence from Bangladesh, a low-resource rural context. The findings suggest that promoting opportunities for paid work and structured volunteering may benefit PWB of older adults in rural settings. Additionally, not all forms of PA equally contribute to PWB, as some activities may be associated with obligation and receive limited recognition. Therefore, appropriate policies are needed that promote paid work and volunteer opportunities, while also recognizing and valuing the unpaid, home-based contributions of older adults. Policies supporting older adults should consider culturally and contextually appropriate strategies that facilitate meaningful engagement. Community-based programs and social support networks could play a key role in facilitating and sustaining these efforts. Future research should explore the mechanisms underlying these associations.