WVS Webinar on May 18. Is reproductive agency associated with subjective well-being? A population-based cross-sectional study among men and women in four sub-Saharan African countries using the WVS

Read full paper: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09581596.2025.2604450

We investigated the association between reproductive agency (RA) and subjective well-being (SWB) in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe using cross-sectional research design. We used nationally representative data from the World Values Survey from 2017 to 2021 (N = 4948). SWB used four items on perceived: (i) life satisfaction (range 1–10), overall life agency (range 1–10), health status (range 1–5), and happiness (range 1–4). RA used one item on perceived freedom of choice and control over whether, when, and how many children to have (range 1–10). We compared SWB between 4302 respondents of high vs. low RA (cutoff based on the median) using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression, stratified by country and sex. 55% rated their RA as high (median, 8; interquartile range (IQR, 5–10). 66% rated their life satisfaction as high (median, 5; IQR, 4–8), and 51% rated their overall life agency as high (median, 8; IQR, 5–10). 75% reported themselves as healthy and happy. High RA was associated with higher life satisfaction (aOR 1.27, 95% CI 1.11–1.46) and overall life agency (aOR 3.70, 95% CI 3.24–4.24), particularly for women and respondents in Nigeria and Zimbabwe. Women’s RA and wellbeing are linked, relevant when fertility becomes politicized globally.

Karin Båge is a Swedish social anthropologist, educational developer, and doctoral researcher at Karolinska Institutet. Her work focuses on global public health, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), gender norms, and sustainable development. She is affiliated with the Global and Sexual Health research group and contributes to higher-education development and sustainable health initiatives. Båge’s research examines how social norms and reproductive agency influence health outcomes, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and migrant communities in Sweden. She has co-authored multiple publications on SRHR, global health education, and sustainability.