Happiness, Subjective Well-Being, and Life Satisfaction: A Compared Study between Long-Lived Elderly People in Northeast and Southeast Brazil

This cross-sectional study aims to investigate and compare factors associated with happiness, subjective well-being, and life satisfaction in elderly people aged 80 and older in two different regions of Brazil. Face-to-face interviews were performed with 417 Brazilians aged 80 years and older, 179 from Northeast and 238 from the Southeast. The prevalence of feelings of happiness, subjective well-being, and overall life satisfaction were very similar for the older elderly in both regions. While in the Southeast, the predictive factors were literacy, higher income, and better economic situation, with many elderly people living alone; in the Northeast, the affective ties with more people seem to predominate, as well as having a more frequent and diverse support network, and practice leisure activities. Our findings support a view of social bonds and family support enables the older elderly people to feel more satisfied with life, performing activities that bring happiness and subjective well-being.