The role of family support in elderly well-being: Evidence from Malaysia and VietNam

Demographics in Malaysia and Viet Nam are evolving rapidly, potentially disrupting traditional family support to older persons. 

van der Meulen Rodgers uses data from the Malaysia Ageing and Retirement Survey and the Viet Nam Aging Survey to analyze how living arrangements, marital status and support from children influence the mental and physical health of older adults. 

She finds that in Malaysia, having living children plays an important protective role for both mental and physical health, while living with a son appears to have a protective effect for physical health. Results are similar for Viet Nam, except that older women, who are at greater risk of mental and physical health problems, appear to enjoy a greater protective effect for their mental health from a child living nearby than do men. 

Her analysis underscores the importance of social safety nets for the health of senior citizens living alone.

About the speaker

Yana van der Meulen Rodgers is a Professor in the Department of Labor Studies and Employment Relations in the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers University (USA). She also works regularly as a consultant for the World Bank, the United Nations and the Asian Development Bank.  

Yana specializes in using quantitative methods to conduct research on women's health, labour market status and well-being. She has also written extensively about LGBTQ inclusion, racial disparities, reproductive justice and disability. 

Yana recently served as Faculty Director of the Center for Women and Work at Rutgers, and she was President of the International Association for Feminist Economics.  

She currently serves as an Associate Editor with the journals World Development; Feminist Economics; and Gender, Work & Organization.