How to offer the elderly the best healthcare possible?
(VOV) - The majority of elderly residents in rural areas still find it necessary to work while afflicted with disease and illness and labour under worse healthcare conditions than the general population.
The Vietnam Association of the Elderly (VAE) has just released the results of a project entitled "Research on health status and use of health services among the elderly in rural Vietnam".
The research was conducted by the International Relations Department of the VAE and Hanoi National Economics University’s Institute of Public Policy and Management with additional funding from Toyota Japan.
The project began in November 2011 and concluded in October 2012, focusing on the six provinces of Lao Cai, Hanoi, Khanh Hoa, Kon Tum, Dong Nai, and Tien Giang.
According to the General Statistics Office (GSO), Vietnam has about 8.15 million elderly people, accounting for 9.4 percent of the national population. The average life expectancy of Vietnamese people has increased rapidly and now stands at over 73 years old. The proportion of the Vientamese population aged over 60 reached almost 10 percent in 2011, marking the start of the official period of “aging”.
According to Dr. Giang Thanh Long, Deputy Director of the Institute of Public Policy and Management, and Pham Tuyet Nhung, Deputy Head of the International Relations Department of the VAE, despite rising life expecting, the health quality of the elderly remains very low. This incongruity pushes up healthcare costs, creating pressure on the national health system and policy difficulties.
95 percent of the elderly get diseases
Research revealed 95 percent of the surveyed elderly are patients, normally suffering from at least two different complaints. 67.2 percent reported living in a weak or very weak condition.
The most common health problems include cataracts, poor ears, deafness, weak teeth and tooth loss, blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, respiratory complaints, and rheumatology. Many also suffer from malnutrition and osteoporosis.
In some cases patients are veterans, invalids, youth volunteers, or victims of war.
Most of the elderly in rural areas live difficult lives
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The report also shows that the lives of most of the elderly in rural areas remain difficult. About 42.4 percent of the elderly are still forced to work hard. Elderly members of ethnic minorities encounter more difficulties than others because of cultural misunderstandings and even political abuse. Some struggle with violent children.
Feminisation of the elderly population
The feminisation of the elderly population is progressing quickly. Between the ages of 60 and, 70, there are 121 females for every 100 males. For those over the age of 80 the ratio is 190 females for every 100 males. Most of the elderly female population live in rural, mountainous areas in difficult conditions that only exacerbate health problems.
The imminent aging population structure
Giang Thanh Long said that for most countries, the aging population demographics arrive after the economy has developed. In Vietnam, however, the demographic changes will occur sooner, Designing policies to ensure the best possible life for the elderly thus becomes a difficult problem.
The report suggests that in order to improve the health of the elderly, Vietnam should focus on disease prevention, including raising general awareness about recommended autonomous preventative measures, and offer more comprehensive health services tailored to an aging population’s wellbeing.