Changing Economic Vulnerability of Thai elderly in 2002 & 2007

(Target Journal: IPSR Journal)

ANLAYA SMUSENEETO

Introduction

Aging population & rapid socio-economic change create challenges on elderly economic security

Change in Thai family size and living arrangements increase difficulties for Elderly

Puzzle (Problem) Definition

Increase rapid aging in Thailand without adequate social welfare & pension system for elderly, economic security is questionable.

Research Questions and Objectives

Research Questions How is economic security of Thai elderly? How does the economic vulnerability of Thai

elderly differ over a period of the study?

Research objectives To identify the effect of economic security on

the elderly in Thailand To examine change of economic security among

Thai elderly between 2002 and 2007

What will we learn? What’s original?

Original individual’s annual income measurement cannot identify elderly insecurity.

Composite of economic security index is required (coming from several variables such as annual income, sources of income, income sufficiency).

Background

Human security concept

Economic security concept

Factors affecting economic security of Thai elderly poverty

Data

The 2002 and 2007 survey of elderly in Thailand conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO), Thailand.

Method Composite of economic security index comes from this formula

below; Composite score =X1/M*T+ X2/M*T+ X3/M*TWhere: X = the score of the each indicator M = the maximum answer value of each indicators T = the total number of indicators of a dimension Composite score of economic = X1/2*3+ X2/2*3+ X3/12*3

Economic security index = actual value –minimum value maximum value – minimum value Binary Logistic regression

Conceptual FrameworkSocio-Demographic variables

-Gender

-Age

-Marital status

-Education

-Occupation

-Residential area

Health variables

- self rate health

Social support variables

- Number of children

- Living arrangement

- Working status

Economic security index

Findings/ Results

In 2002 and 2007 males and older were less likely to achieve economic secured than female and younger elderly persons (Table 1).

Getting married elderly were more likely to be economically secured than those widowed/ divorced/ separated elderly.

Higher educated elderly, living in urban area, elderly reported good health, living with children and relatives, wages were more likely to secure.

Conclusion & Discussion

Most elderly faced economic insecurity or poverty in 2002 and in 2007.

Elderly economic insecurity tends to increase. Gender, age, occupation, living arrangements, and

wage have significant relationship with economic security in 2002 and in 2007

Health status and social support variables (number of children, and working status) have significant relationship with economic security.

Recommendation

Provision of paid work and training job for elderly

adjusting indicators and include more economic variables