Open AccessElderly Poverty in Vietnam: Trends and Determinants
Author(s) -
Linh Hoang Vu,
ThuyAnh Nguyen,
Vietnam Business
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of population and social studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2465-4418
DOI - 10.25133/jpssv292021.033
Subject(s) - poverty , ethnic group , socioeconomics , vietnamese , rural area , geography , standard of living , economic growth , development economics , political science , sociology , economics , linguistics , philosophy , law
Adopting data from the 2010 and 2016 Vietnam Household Living Standard Surveys, this paper identifies factors of elderly poverty incidences and depth in Vietnam. Our analysis shows that overall, elderly poverty is lower than the overall poverty headcount in Vietnam. Yet, some elderly groups are more vulnerable to poverty than others. In particular, the elderly living in rural areas are more susceptible to poverty than those living in urban areas. The ethnic minority elderly are likewise more vulnerable to poverty than those who belong to the Kinh-Hoa ethnic majority. We found several determining factors for elderly poverty in urban and rural areas, including region, ethnicity, education, and household age composition. Remittances and social assistance are also crucial in reducing elderly poverty in rural areas. With these findings, this study proposes several policy implications, including improving the social assistance support for the elderly, reducing regional and ethnic disparities, and supporting the employment of older people.