Living arrangements and psychological well-being of the elderly after the economic transition in Vietnam
Objectives: We examine the relationship between living arrangements and psychological well-being of the older adults in Vietnam, where there is an influence of Confucian values and a lack of close substitutes for family care of the older adults, by exploiting a great deal of regional variation in ec...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | text |
| Language: | English |
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Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University
2015
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/1899 https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/soss_research/article/3156/viewcontent/Yamada_Teerawichitchainan_JGSS15__1_.pdf |
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| Institution: | Singapore Management University |
| Language: | English |
| Summary: | Objectives: We examine the relationship between living arrangements and psychological well-being of the older adults in Vietnam, where there is an influence of Confucian values and a lack of close substitutes for family care of the older adults, by exploiting a great deal of regional variation in economic development. We also examine the role of living arrangements in well-being differentials across regions. Method: We estimate a triangular simultaneous-equation discrete-response model, which accounts for the simultaneity between living arrangements and psychological well-being (happiness, depression, loneliness, poor appetite, and sleep disorder), using a nationally representative sample of 2,225 adults aged 60 and older drawn from the 2011 Vietnam Aging Survey. Results: Intergenerational coresidence significantly increases the psychological wellbeing of the older adults in Vietnam. The results are fairly robust, even after taking quasicoresidence into account, decomposing the psychological well-being index into each affect and symptom, and splitting the sample by gender. Discussion: Changes in living arrangements induced by differences in labor market opportunities in neighboring regions have resulted in significant differences in psychological well-being among the older adults. The findings point to the need for attention to the mental health of elderly parents left behind in less economically developed regions. |
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