Gender Differentials in One-Person Households among Older Adults in India: Evidence from the National Family Health Survey 2015-2016

The present study analyses various aspects of one-person households (OPH) among older adults from multiple socioeconomic backgrounds in India. The study utilizes data from the National Family Health Survey conducted in 2015-2016 (N = 146,657), and employs bivariate and binary logistic regression analysis to carve out the results. The percent OPH among older adults in India was 7.4% (2.4% men and 28% women). In terms of gender differentials, it was found that older women were more likely to stay in OPH than older men. The interaction of marital status with gender and place of residence together revealed that married women in rural areas were significantly more likely to stay in OPH than widowed men in urban areas. There is an urgent need to strengthen the social security scheme for older adults in OPH in India, especially in the southern part of the country, where the prevalence of OPH is the highest.