Functionings and Capabilities as Tools for Explaining Differences in Self- Assessed Health: The Case of Women’s Health in Accra, Ghana

  • Douptcheva N
  • Hill A
N/ACitations
Citations of this article
9Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

Abstract

We apply the Capability Approach on the data from a survey of women’s health in Accra to illustrate how such a framework can capture health differentials. We identified endowment groups by based on the wealth of the households and the socio-economic status of the neighbourhood of residence and analysed their association with the functionings, measured by summary indicators of physical and mental health. Regression analysis reveals that socio-cultural and household factors do not have a significant association with health status. In turn, education appears to have the predicted association with both physical and mental health. Unemployed women suffer poorer health even when compared with women in informal jobs. Being childless is associated with better health, remembering that this is now a low fertility population. The two dimensions of health measured here – physical and mental – do have different determinants. The socio-economic status of the neighbourhood affects physical health while family wealth affects mental health more strongly.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Douptcheva, N., & Hill, A. G. (2014). Functionings and Capabilities as Tools for Explaining Differences in Self- Assessed Health: The Case of Women’s Health in Accra, Ghana. African Population Studies, 28(2), 744. https://doi.org/10.11564/28-2-594

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free