A new way of classifying countries in successful aging: the planet’s state

No Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) traces more than 230 performance indicators To determine progress in social, economic and environmental sustainability in countries around the world, older adults are barely mentioned. While there are several indicators that document the progress of population subgroups, no indicator is specifically addressed to older adults.

In an illuminating class on sustainability indicators, taught by Alexander de SherbininDirector of the Network of the Integrated Earth Sciences Information Center in Columbia Climate School, and Zachary A. Wendling, Research Director of the Yale Environmental Law and Policy Center, who was co -author of the popular popular popular popular Environmental Performance Index“I learned to analyze existing indices and how to build mine.” The aging planet index (API) is a culmination of these efforts.

First, I thought it was worth questioning why older adults are not a basic element in the SDGs. Maybe aging societies are not a global challenge? After all, the world’s population continues its relentless ascending increase, which is expected to reach only in the mid -2080s. But we do deepen, we see that the 65 -year -old age group exhibits the fastest growth rate. Developing countries, where population growth is concentrated, are under great pressure, since they face an unprecedented double load. Since they age faster than developed countries at their early development stage, they cannot follow the play book to focus first on economic development, before increasing medical care systems to administer chronic old age diseases.

While several institutions have already built aging indices, they largely reflect the views of the policy formulators. In the active aging index by the UN Economic Commission for Europe, the employment rate variable at the ages of 70 to 74 years is the most obvious. Who decided to work between 70 and 74 years was desirable? When I created the fundamental framework of the API, I chose to reflect what older adults really want. A global that survey Of older adults concluded that “having energy, being happy, having senses that work well and being free of pain” are the most important. In general terms, happiness and good health care. As such, the first component of the API tracks well -being through self -informed well -being and healthy life expectancy.

Next, I considered that they are critical to achieve these purposes. For well -being, economic security is possibly the most important facilitator; This became component two of the API. Instead of using the employment rate in old age, I opted for pension coverage and old age poverty to capture better choice. We may not agree on what age is ideal retirement, but we can agree that having enough money is universally desired. Economic security is closely linked to psychological security, for example, people can continue working beyond retirement for social interactions and meaning; So I also included self -informed measures of social support and feelings of productivity.

Finally, component three of the API draws attention to the environment, which is overlooked in many indexes despite being fundamental for well -being. In the global disease burden studyIt was found that deaths caused by pollution are “much greater than war, terrorism, malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, drugs and alcohol.” In addition, such environmental impacts are disproportionate by older adults who are more susceptible. However, the environment is often prioritized between governments and international organizations, possibly because it is difficult to measure. I used the variables of exposure to air pollution, exposure to lead and lost years in extreme climatic events.

After collecting measures for these criteria, I standardicated the values ​​for my nine variables on a common scale (0-1) to allow comparison. For each country, we averaged the 9 variable scores to obtain the final index score (0-1). The countries were classified according to this final score.

In 140 countries, the 20 main ones were dominated by North and Western Europe. The API seems to reflect the global economic classifications of the countries (they are highly correlated with GDP per capita), which is expected since economic resources help facilitate health and social welfare systems that in turn increase well -being, safety and environmental resistance. That said, I tried several explanatory factors described in previous research and found stronger correlations, at all income levels, driven by gender inequality and universal health coverage.

Women accumulate loads throughout their lives, such as experiencing discrimination in the workplace and carrying the worst part of care, which can manifest as wide disparities in old age. A solution to consider is to strengthen the power of women in society, such as the experiment of India with Reserve village council seats for women In the 1990s, which can lead to structural investments in the adjustment with the needs of women. Amartya Sen, economist and philosopher who has defended human development, has shown that a country does not need to expect economic prosperity before improving medical and educational care opportunities; Countries have achieved them much less.

Ultimately, I hope the API starts speech on the aging challenge: what dimensions of successful aging should we prioritize and what possible solutions can we provide?

NG Kah Long is a student graduated in the quantitative methods of Columbia University in the Social Sciences program. Their research interests are to unite social science disciplines to solve interesting problems. He is currently a research assistant at the Mailman de Columbia School of Public Health.

The opinions and opinions expressed here are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Climate School of Columbia, the Institute of the Earth or the University of Columbia.