Aging & Social Change: Ninth Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

Despite the numerous studies of social exclusion acknowledged gender disparity in this issue, little is focused to widen the analysis into community-level factors. Considering elderly as the most vulnerable age group, this study aims to investigate the role of community characteristics in explaining gender disparity in social exclusion among the elderly in Indonesia. Cross-sectional data in 2007 and 2014 from Indonesian Family Life Survey are analyzed using ordered logistic regression with the dependent variable categorized in the three stages; socially included, moderately excluded and severely excluded. Female elderly who had enrolled in high education are less likely to be excluded while it does not show significant effect for the males. Furthermore, the percentage of working member in household also enhance the female probability to be socially included. The distance from living location to the central district positively affects female exclusion whereas in 2014 it turns into a negative sign for the males. The characteristics of the official village leader also must be taken into consideration. Statistically, excluded female elderly tend to live in community where the leader is chosen without election and is aged under 50. Furthermore, the more educated leader induces more inclusion for male elderly only. These findings suggest that policy maker especially young and educated community leader should encourage pay more attention to female elderly particularly in hinterland society in order to fight social exclusion equally.