Low Self-Esteem in Older Adults and Associated Factors: A Descriptive and Analytical Study

Self-esteem, defined as an individual’s subjective evaluation of their own worth, plays a fundamental role in psychological balance and quality of life. It acts as a protective factor against psychosocial difficulties, especially among older adults facing multiple losses: reduced autonomy, social isolation, end of professional life, physical decline, or successive bereavements. Self-esteem contributes to personal resilience and shapes how older individuals experience age-related transitions. While literature has extensively examined self-esteem in youth and working adults, research remains scarce when it comes to older populations, particularly within the context of current demographic changes. The conditions for maintaining self-esteem in seniors, as well as the factors likely to undermine it, are still poorly explored. This study aimed to assess self-esteem and its associated factors among a sample of older adults. In our study, the prevalence of low self-esteem was 40%, ranging from 3.3% in the 60–70 age group to 36.6% in those over 70. Factors associated with low self-esteem included being over 70 years old, widowhood, living with a descendant, low educational attainment, retirement, and loss of autonomy. Thus, self-esteem and the preservation of autonomy in older adults appear to be critical targets for public health policies and aging-well promotion strategies—particularly using emerging digital technologies.