IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/socmed/v229y2019icp161-171.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Productive aging in developing Southeast Asia: Comparative analyses between Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand

Author

Listed:
  • Teerawichitchainan, Bussarawan
  • Prachuabmoh, Vipan
  • Knodel, John

Abstract

Alarmist views regarding the burden that older persons pose for family and society are prevalent; yet, such views are not necessarily warranted. To fill the research gap, this study examines prevalence and differentials in later-life productive engagement in developing Southeast Asia with a focus on the roles of educational attainment and gender. Based on analyses of recent aging surveys in Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand, we assess three major dimensions of productive engagement among persons aged 60 and above, i.e. their economic activity, assistance to family members, and caregiving. Results suggest that elders in all three countries make important contributions to their families–consistent with Southeast Asia's prevailing norm of reciprocity in intergenerational support. Across the three countries, assistance in household chores is the most common contribution that older persons make, followed by caregiving and economic activity. We find that education is an important factor influencing productive aging. For example, elderly Thais with some educational attainment are more likely than those without any education to participate in the labor force and in turn are able to provide financial assistance to their children. Across the three countries, we find gender differences in later-life productive engagement. While older women tend to provide non-economic contributions to family, older men provide economic contributions more than their female counterparts. Our cross-country comparison additionally indicates that societal contexts such as economic development are likely to have important implications for the extent of productive engagement among older persons with different levels of educational attainment. We discuss policy implications of our empirical findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Teerawichitchainan, Bussarawan & Prachuabmoh, Vipan & Knodel, John, 2019. "Productive aging in developing Southeast Asia: Comparative analyses between Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 161-171.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:229:y:2019:i:c:p:161-171
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.09.053
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953618305495
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.09.053?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rigg, Jonathan & Salamanca, Albert & Phongsiri, Monchai & Sripun, Mattara, 2018. "More farmers, less farming? Understanding the truncated agrarian transition in Thailand," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 327-337.
    2. Teerawichitchainan, Bussarawan & Pothisiri, Wiraporn & Long, Giang Thanh, 2015. "How do living arrangements and intergenerational support matter for psychological health of elderly parents? Evidence from Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 136, pages 106-116.
    3. Elisabeth J. Croll, 2006. "The Intergenerational Contract in the Changing Asian Family," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(4), pages 473-491.
    4. World Bank, 2016. "Live Long and Prosper," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 23133, December.
    5. Jeffrey A. Burr & Jan E. Mutchler & Francis G. Caro, 2007. "Productive Activity Clusters Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Intersecting Forms and Time Commitments," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 62(4), pages 267-275.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Sariyamon Tiraphat & Doungjai Buntup & Murallitharan Munisamy & Thang Huu Nguyen & Motoyuki Yuasa & Myo Nyein Aung & Aung Hpone Myint, 2020. "Age-Friendly Environments in ASEAN Plus Three: Case Studies from Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-15, June.
    2. Teerawichitchainan, Bussarawan & Low, Timothy Qing Ying, 2021. "The situation and well-being of custodial grandparents in Myanmar: Impacts of adult children's cross-border and internal migration," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    3. Aris Ananta & Ahmad Irsan A. Moeis & Hendro Try Widianto & Heri Yulianto & Evi Nurvidya Arifin, 2021. "Pension and Active Ageing: Lessons Learned from Civil Servants in Indonesia," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-17, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Thin Nyein Nyein Aung & Myo Nyein Aung & Saiyud Moolphate & Yuka Koyanagi & Siripen Supakankunti & Motoyuki Yuasa, 2021. "Caregiver Burden and Associated Factors for the Respite Care Needs among the Family Caregivers of Community Dwelling Senior Citizens in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-15, May.
    2. Pataporn Sukontamarn & M. Niaz Asadullah & Nopphawan Photphisutthiphong & Yen Thi Hai Nguyen, 2023. "Happiness in Old Age: The Daughter Connection," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(5), pages 1729-1757, June.
    3. Kumar, Sneha, 2021. "Offspring's labor migration and its implications for elderly parents' emotional wellbeing in Indonesia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).
    4. Thin Nyein Nyein Aung & Myo Nyein Aung & Saiyud Moolphate & Yuka Koyanagi & Mariko Ichikawa & Siripen Supakankunti & Motoyuki Yuasa, 2021. "Estimating Service Demand for Intermediary Care at a Community Integrated Intermediary Care Center among Family Caregivers of Older Adults Residing in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-14, June.
    5. Teerawichitchainan, Bussarawan & Low, Timothy Qing Ying, 2021. "The situation and well-being of custodial grandparents in Myanmar: Impacts of adult children's cross-border and internal migration," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    6. Elizabeth Lehman & Ruth Jepson & John McAteer & Daryll Archibald, 2020. "What Motivates Volunteers to Engage in Health-Related Citizen Science Initiatives? A Case Study of Our Outdoors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-15, September.
    7. Wang, Shuhong & Li, Shengxiao (Alex) & Hu, Wanyang, 2022. "Grandparenting and subjective well-being in China: The moderating effects of residential location, gender, age, and income," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 315(C).
    8. Magnus Moglia & Kim S. Alexander & Silva Larson & Anne (Giger)-Dray & Garry Greenhalgh & Phommath Thammavong & Manithaythip Thephavanh & Peter Case, 2020. "Gendered Roles in Agrarian Transition: A Study of Lowland Rice Farming in Lao PDR," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-20, July.
    9. Zhou, Ke & Vidyarthi, Arpana & Matchar, David & Cheung, Yin Bun & Lam, Shao Wei & Ong, Marcus, 2018. "The relationship between workload and length of stay in Singapore," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(7), pages 769-774.
    10. Ilke Onur & Malathi Velamuri, 2016. "A Life Course Perspective on Gender Differences in Cognitive Functioning in India," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 10(4), pages 520-563.
    11. Alejandro Canedo-García & Jesús-Nicasio García-Sánchez, 2022. "Exploring the Instrumental and Emotional Supports for Sustainability and Social Participation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-16, August.
    12. Promkhambut, Arunee & Yokying, Phanwin & Woods, Kevin & Fisher, Micah & Li Yong, Ming & Manorom, Kanokwan & Baird, Ian G. & Fox, Jefferson, 2023. "Rethinking agrarian transition in Southeast Asia through rice farming in Thailand," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    13. Richard F. Doner, 2023. "Comment on “Siamese Twin Failures: Structural and Regulatory Transformations in Unequal Thailand”," Asian Economic Policy Review, Japan Center for Economic Research, vol. 18(1), pages 71-72, January.
    14. Ginbert P. Cuaton & Laurence L. Delina, 2022. "Two decades of rice research in Indonesia and the Philippines: A systematic review and research agenda for the social sciences," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-21, December.
    15. Nanhthavong, Vong & Bieri, Sabin & Nguyen, Anh-Thu & Hett, Cornelia & Epprecht, Michael, 2022. "Proletarianization and gateways to precarization in the context of land-based investments for agricultural commercialization in Lao PDR," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    16. Kattika Thanakwang & Sang‐arun Isaramalai, 2013. "Productive engagement in older adults: A concept analysis," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(1), pages 124-130, March.
    17. Giang, Long Thanh & Pham, Tham Hong Thi & Phi, Phong Manh, 2019. "Productive activities of the older people in Vietnam," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 32-40.
    18. Kang, Jong Woo & Magoncia, Grendell Vie, 2016. "How to Fill the Working-Age Population Gap in Asia: A Population Accounting Approach," ADB Economics Working Paper Series 499, Asian Development Bank.
    19. Chiao, Chi, 2019. "Beyond health care: Volunteer work, social participation, and late-life general cognitive status in Taiwan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 154-160.
    20. George Kudrna & John Piggott & Phitawat Poonpolkul, 2022. "Extending pension policy in emerging Asia: An overlapping-generations model analysis for Indonesia," CAMA Working Papers 2022-14, Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:229:y:2019:i:c:p:161-171. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/315/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.