Late-life widowhood in developing Southeast Asia: Comparative perspectives from Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam

• Main Authors: TEERAWICHITCHAINAN, Bussarawan Puk, KNODEL, John
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2017
• Subjects: Asian Studies; Family, Life Course, and Society; Gerontology
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/2441; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/soss_research/article/3698/viewcontent/SEA_Widowhood__PAA2017_.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

We analyze recent aging surveys to examine the prevalence and correlates of widowhood among elderly in Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam and investigate how widowhood is associated with intergenerational support and old-age wellbeing. Widowhood is often associated with depressive symptoms, elevated mortality risk, and social-relationship changes. How one fares after spousal loss is nevertheless contingent on individual-level attributes, dyadic characteristics, and macro-social conditions. Thus, consequences likely vary across contexts. Most studies are conducted in western developed countries. Few existing Asia-focused research is primarily based on developed East Asia or China. Little is empirically known about the situation in non-western developing countries. Comparison between Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam is compelling, given their socio-economic and cultural similarities and differences. Importantly, Southeast Asia differs significantly from East Asia regarding kinship system and gender-roles expectation within the family. The gap in the literature warrants further exploration that considers diverse socioeconomic and cultural contexts of widowhood.