Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


Lamptey_Dissertation_Final_1.pdf (1.27 MB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Marital Status and Health Outcomes in a Developing Country: Exploring the Contextual Effects of Marriage, Gender, Children, and Lineal Ties on Subjective Health in Ghana

Lamptey, Enoch
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1499106117494519

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, Sociology.
A growing body of literature on marriage and health suggest that marriage is beneficial to health-—physical, psychological, behavioral, and longevity. Additionally, there are inconsistencies in the existing literature concerning the effect of gender and children on the association between marital status and health outcomes. However, the vast majority of these studies rely on data from Western developed countries such as United States of America, Canada, and other developed countries; and they leave open questions with regards to whether the hypothesized relationship between marriage and positive health outcomes are equally applicable or generalizable to other countries, especially less developed countries. The purpose of this dissertation was to contribute to the existing cross-cultural literature on marriage and health. This study also focused on how culturally specific issues such as communalistic cultural values and practices, which are pervasive in the Ghanaian’s society, may improve the wellbeing (health) of never-married Ghanaians. Using theoretically driven models and nationally representative data from the 2011 Ghana World Value Survey (n = 1552), this study examined marriage and family processes in Ghana, and how they are associated with health. I examined whether there was variation in health among currently, previous, and never married people in Ghana, and how sociocultural practices such as the significant attachment to children influence the association between marital status and health. Findings from the analyses show that in general and contrast to what has been reported in the Western literature, in Ghana, I did not find that the married have better health than their never-married counterparts. The results show that compared to the currently and never married, formerly married Ghanaians reported the worst health. Gender did not moderate the relationship between marital status and health. The presence of children rather than diminish the health of the married increased their health. Also, I found that among patrilineal ethnic groups in Ghana, married persons experienced better health relative to their unmarried counterparts. On the contrary, among matrilineal ethnic groups in Ghana, there is no variation in self-rated health among the currently, previous, and the never-married. I conclude with some limitations and policy implications of the findings.
Baffour Takyi, PhD (Committee Chair)
Juan Xi, PhD (Committee Member)
Clare Stacey, PhD (Committee Member)
Adrianne Frech, PhD (Committee Member)
Jun Ye, PhD (Committee Member)
227 p.
Sociology
Marriage, health, gender, lineal ties, and Ghana

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Lamptey, E. (2017). Marital Status and Health Outcomes in a Developing Country: Exploring the Contextual Effects of Marriage, Gender, Children, and Lineal Ties on Subjective Health in Ghana [Doctoral dissertation, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1499106117494519

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lamptey, Enoch. Marital Status and Health Outcomes in a Developing Country: Exploring the Contextual Effects of Marriage, Gender, Children, and Lineal Ties on Subjective Health in Ghana. 2017. University of Akron, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1499106117494519.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lamptey, Enoch. "Marital Status and Health Outcomes in a Developing Country: Exploring the Contextual Effects of Marriage, Gender, Children, and Lineal Ties on Subjective Health in Ghana." Doctoral dissertation, University of Akron, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1499106117494519

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

akron1499106117494519
1,376
© 2017, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Akron and OhioLINK.