Of all areas of social scientific inquiry, few have closer association with quantitative data than demographic research. Census, vital statistics and sample surveys, the basic sources of demographic data, provide results that are inherently numerical. As the search for explanation and understanding of demographic phenomena proceeds, however, an increasing number of scholars outside the field of demography proper, as well as demographers themselves, are beginning to question the adequacy of an exclusively quantitative approach based on the conventional data sources and research tools of the discipline. Separate sessions with groups selected on the basis of different sets of criteria permit the in-depth exploration of views of persons with quite different characteristics while still preserving the homogeneity of each particular group. Given the potential of the focus group approach for yielding qualitative information exposing perceptions, opinions, underlying attitudes, and behaviour patterns, it lends itself to many purposes.

Myanmar's population has been on the move at an unprecedented level since 2011. Given the country's lack of data infrastructure, little is known about how parental migration affects children in Myanmar's migration-source areas. Based on the 2017 Dry Zone Migration Impact Survey, this study examines the extent to which parental migration is associated with the frequency of care provision for left-behind children and the likelihood that their care needs are adequately met. Results suggest that the negative impacts of parental migration were limited to a small proportion of children whose mothers migrated (regardless of their father's migration). These children received significantly less frequent care and experienced a lower likelihood of having adequate support for daily necessities. Yet, the statistically significant negative associations between maternal migration and children's met needs for emotional and financial support were not found. On the contrary, children with migrant fathers and non-migrant mothers enjoyed significantly more frequent care than other children. Looking ahead, Myanmar's rising trends in migration, population aging, and female labor force participation can pose new challenges in care provision for left-behind children. Thus, continual monitoring of migration impacts and changing societal contexts is critical for formulating policies to manage risks associated with migration in developing countries.

Studies on the two major health-risk behaviors of smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol among older populations, particularly in Southeast Asia, are limited. This paper provides comparative analyses of the prevalences and correlates of smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol among older people in Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand, using data from the latest available national aging surveys in the three countries. The analyses were conducted within a multivariate framework. Gender-specific results show that smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol are more common among older men than women in all three countries. However, the prevalence of smoking and drinking among men declines at older ages. The multivariate analyses reveal that a higher level of education has a significant negative association with smoking and drinking in all three settings, but the magnitude and the direction of associations vary considerably between countries and genders. Area of residence is correlated with smoking among men in all three countries, whereas co-residential arrangements with spouse, children, or both significantly reduce alcohol consumption among men in Myanmar and among men and women in Thailand. In all three settings a significant complementary relationship between smoking and drinking is observed. From a policy perspective this implies that a successful reduction in smoking could be achieved through anti-drinking campaigns and vice versa.

Older women are typically portrayed as more vulnerable than men due to being more likely widowed and experiencing ill health. The exclusive focus among policy makers on female disadvantages in old age has been increasingly criticized in recent years. Using a gender lens, this chapter compares the recent situation of older women and men in Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand based on recent nationally representative survey data in the respective countries. We assess whether gender disparities exist among successive cohorts of older persons and how they vary across three broad well-being indicators, including health status and receipt of personal care, economic well-being, and social connectedness. Findings suggest gender differences in old-age well-being in Southeast Asia to be very nuanced. Gender differences vary across well-being indicators and how they are measured. Our evidence supports a balanced perspective that views gender as a potential but not necessarily central marker of old-age vulnerability.

This chapter examines the critical roles played by demographic trends and development levels in explaining cross-country variations in grandparental care in Southeast Asia. Based on analyses of recent national-level surveys of older persons in Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, we examine the extent and circumstances of grandparenting and their consequences from the perspective of grandparents. Results indicate that substantial proportions of older persons live in households with coresident grandchildren and commonly provide grandparental childcare. Although skip-generation households remain uncommon in all three countries, in accordance with development levels they are by far most common in Thailand and least in Myanmar. Differences in economic development and fertility trends account for much of the observed differences in grandparental care by affecting grandchildren availability and migration of adult children. The chapter concludes by discussing the implications of changing grandparenting patterns for the renegotiation and reinterpretation of the intergenerational contract in the coming decades..

Myanmar is one of the poorest and least healthy countries in Southeast Asia. As elsewhere in the region, population aging is occurring. Yet the government welfare and health systems have done little to address the long-term care (LTC) needs of the increasing number of older persons thus leaving families to cope on their own. Our study, based on the 2012 Myanmar Aging Survey, documents the LTC needs of persons aged 60 and older and how they are met within the context of the family. Nearly 40% of persons in their early 60s and 90% of those 80 and older reported at least one physical difficulty. Spouses and children constitute the mainstay of the financial and instrumental support of elderly including those with LTC needs. Nearly two-thirds of older persons reported receiving assistance with daily living activities. More than three quarters coreside with children, a living arrangement that in turn is strongly associated with receiving regular assistance in daily living. Daughters represent almost half and spouses, primarily wives, one-fourth of primary caregivers. Unmet need for care as well as inadequate care decline almost linearly with increased household wealth. Thus elderly in the poorest households are most likely to experience gaps in LTC. Given mounting concerns regarding health disparities among Myanmar's population, this pattern of inequality clearly needs to be recognized and addressed. This needs attention now rather than later given that reduced family size and increased migration pose additional challenges for family caregiving of frail elderly in the coming decades.

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.

This spotlight provides an overview of the situation of older persons in Myanmar, an understudied country of over-50-million population. Myanmar is of particular interest to researchers and policy makers, given its overall level of poverty and modestly rapid population aging. Research on older persons, while increasing in recent years, remains sparse. Empirical evidence indicates that Myanmar older persons are in relatively poorer health compared to those in neighboring countries. Many live in abject poverty and depend on their families for material support. Coresidence is very common and facilitates reciprocal exchanges across generations. Looking ahead, Myanmar confronts important challenges including demographic shifts that reduce availability of family support for older persons and increasing burden from chronic illnesses. Currently, government measures are essentially absent, although a law on aging was drafted and is in the process to become legislation.

Summary Rural women with modest or no education are capable of using oral contraceptives correctly and may even do so more often than educated urban women, according to the reports of 1,170 current pill users in the Thai Demographic and Health Survey who were asked whether they had forgotten to take a pill in the last month, and, if so, how many pills they had forgotten. Bivariate and multivariate analyses of pill use and background characteristics revealed that rural women, especially those working in agriculture, are less likely to forget to take a pill than are their urban counterparts. Poorly educated women are also less likely to forget to take a pill than are women with at least a secondary education, although they are more likely to forget to take three or more pills within a cycle when they do forget. Correct pill use is associated with older age, longer duration of method use and desire for no more children. Women who purchase pills from drugstores or from government sources are also more likely to forget to take them than are women who obtain them free from government outlets.

Objective: We examine the association between poverty, economic inequality, and health among elderly in Myanmar. Method: We analyze 2012 data from Myanmar’s first representative survey of older adults to investigate how health indicators vary across wealth quintiles as measured by household possessions and housing quality. Results: Poverty and poor health are pervasive. Self-assessed health, sensory impairment, and functional limitation consistently improve with higher wealth levels regardless of socio-demographic controls. Differentials in self-rated health and sensory impairment between the bottom and second quintiles are clearly evident, suggesting that relative economic inequality matters even among very poor elders and that a small difference in wealth can matter in an extreme poverty setting. Discussion: Findings support a global theory of economic gradients in health regardless of level of societal poverty. Modest efforts to improve the standard of living among elderly may improve not only their material well-being but also their health.

The present study compares living arrangements and related intergenerational support in Myanmar and Thailand based on recent national surveys of older persons in both countries and prior surveys in Thailand. The countries share relatively similar cultural contexts but differ radically in economic development. Substantially higher percentages of older persons in Myanmar currently coreside with their children and are considerably more likely to have non-coresident children living in the same locality. They are also less likely to live with a spouse and to have children living at a substantial distance. Older persons in Myanmar are much less likely to have phone contact with children living away and less likely to receive visits. Thai elders are considerably more likely to provide custodial care to grandchildren with absent parents and to live in skip generation households. Older Thais are also considerably more likely to receive substantial remittances from non-coresident children. The living arrangements of older age Thais in the past, however, more closely resembles the current situation in Myanmar. It appears that current differences are largely attributable to the more advanced Thai economic development through its associated impacts on migration, fertility and mortality. Contrasting political situations and government priorities also likely play a role. The results provide insights into the implications of development for older persons and suggest that if the recent course of political transformation and opening to the global economy continues in Myanmar, living arrangements there may well follow the trends in Thailand over past decades.

HelpAge International helps older people claim their rights, challenge discrimination and overcome poverty, so that they can lead dignified, secure, active and healthy lives. Any parts of this publication may be reproduced without permission for non-profit and educational purposes unless indicated otherwise. Please clearly credit HelpAge International and send us a copy of the reprinted sections. This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the College of Population Studies, Chulalongkorn Univeristy and HelpAge International and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. Foreword At present,  ai society is confronting the process of population ageing.  is population dynamic poses serious challenges for traditional family support, communities' ability to provide backup support for older persons and government policies. A series of national surveys of the older population together with related analyses and extensive studies by  ai and foreign researchers in the academic community provide important information for evidence-based policies and programs for improving the welfare of older persons. The College of Population Studies (CPS), Chulalongkorn University has played an important role in accumulating empirical evidence that forms the body of knowledge on issues related to population ageing in  ailand for more than three decades. Currently, in addition to conducting academic studies, CPS also emphasizes its role as " the Pillar of Kingdom " on elderly issues concerning the older-aged population by monitoring and evaluating the performance of the execution of the Second National Plan for Older Persons (2002–2021) and providing a package of policy recommendations to the government. As a continuation of the academic tradition of CPS, this report which is based on the latest national survey of the older persons conducted in 2014 by the National Statistical Offi ce provides an up to date assessment of the situation of older persons in  ailand. I expect that the results presented in this report will serve as an important source to guide the policies and programs for the older persons in  ailand in the future. Last but not least, I would like to deliver my deepest gratitude to all the contributors involved in producing this report. By 2030, there will be more older people in  ailand than children under 15. By 2050, more than one in three  ais will be over 60.  is …

BACKGROUNDRapid development and social change in Asia have led many to assume that the proportion of elderly people living alone is rising and that they tend to live in destitute situations. These assumptions often lack empirical validation.OBJECTIVEWe address the trends and correlates of solitary living among older persons in Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand. We examine the extent to which this form of living arrangement equates with their financial stress, physical and social isolation, psychological distress, and met need for personal care.METHODSWe analyze 2011-12 national surveys of older persons from the three countries. We employ descriptive and multivariate analyses using either binary logistic regression or multiple classification analysis.RESULTSThere has been a modest upward trend in solo living among the elderly in the three countries over the last few decades. The prevalence of solo living remains low, accounting for less than one-tenth of all elders in each setting. A substantial proportion of solo-dwelling elders live in quasi-coresidence. Solo living is not always associated with financial stress. Although solitary dwellers report more psychological distress than others, our evidence does not support the claim that they are socially alienated. Note, however, that solo-living elders who are childless are the most vulnerable group and will need attention from policymakers and social workers. While solitary living tends to be correlated with adverse wellbeing outcomes in Myanmar and Vietnam, this is less the case in Thailand.CONCLUSIONSOur evidence provides a varied and nuanced view regarding the trends and situations of solitary-living elders in developing Southeast Asia.

ABSTRACTRecent surveys in Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam reveal that substantial proportions of persons aged 60 and older co-reside with grandchildren and commonly provide grandparental care. Usually the grandchildren's parents are also present. Situations in which the grandchildren's parents are absent are considerably less frequent. Parents are commonly the main source of the grandchildren's financial support even if absent. Most grandparents that provide care do not consider it a serious burden even when the grandchild's parents are absent. Moreover, grandparental care is not always one-directional as grandchildren can also be of help to grandparents. These features of grandchild care reflect a regional cultural context that views acceptance of reciprocal intergenerational obligations as normal and in which co-residence of older persons and adult children is still common. Differences in economic development and past fertility trends account for much of the observed differences in grandparental care among the three countries by affecting grandchildren availability and migration of adult children. In addition, economic development and demographic trends will continue to shape grandparental care in the coming decades. Despite the lack of attention to development and demographic context in previous studies, these aspects of the changing societal context deserve a prominent place within conceptual frameworks guiding comparative research on grandparenting.