Hofstede's Cultural Values and Birth Rate and Longevity: A National-Level Analysis

The present study investigated the association between Hofstede's cultural values and societal aging indicators. Longevity and birth rate data for 59 countries and regions from the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s were used. Multiple regression analyses were conducted, adjusted for the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and gender gaps in higher education and workforce participation. Uncertainty avoidance (UA) was positively associated with the percentage of older adults in all three decades and negatively associated with the total fertility rate in the 1990s. Interactions between UA and GDP were significant for the percentage of female older adults in the 1990s and 2000s, male and female life expectancy, and the total fertility rate in the 1990s. UA was positively associated with life expectancy and negatively associated with the total fertility rate in countries with higher GDP, but not in countries with lower GDP. UA may therefore be a key cultural value for aging societies.