The population of Vietnam is aging fast however there is limited information on aging and health in Vietnam and very few data on health care and caring for aging population in Vietnam especially dementia, insomnia, muscle mass and death autopsy. We do not know factors associated with quality of life of aging population and what define the quality of life of Vietnamese aging population. Especially, there is no longitudinal survey for aging population in Vietnam.
Collaborating with Nihon University, Institute of Population, Health and Development (PHAD) conducts The Longitudinal Study of Aging and Health in Vietnam, funded by The Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA). This study aims to 1) Describe the current health status of older adults in Vietnam; 2) Investigate associated correlates of the current health status of older adults in Vietnam; 3) Examine changes in health status of older adults using the baseline survey data and previously conducted cross-sectional survey data in Vietnam; 4) Examine changes in individual health status of older adults using the longitudinal survey data in Vietnam; 5) Investigate potential determinants of changes in health status of older adults in Vietnam; and 6) Estimate health expectancies by gender, place of residence (urban/rural), education to examine inequality between subpopulation of older adults in Vietnam.
About 6,000 elderly people 60 years old and above, are representative for 10 provinces of 6 regions of Vietnam, will be randomly selected to participate in the study. The first wave will be conducted in 2018-2019 and follow-up wave in 2020-2021.
The Institute of Population, Health and Development (PHAD) collaborated with Department of Health, Population and Family Planning Brand, and Institutes in 10 study provinces to conduct the Baseline survey of the Longitudinal study on Aging and Health in Vietnam (LSAHV) from Dec 2018 to May 2019. In each province, we organized 2 days training for all data collectors and field supervisors about data collection and anthropometric measurement. Total 6,050 old people 60 and over were interviewed. In which, 5,782 participants were measured health indicators such as height, weight, gait speed, grip strength… and 5,347 participants were measured body internal index such as fat, muscle, water and bone.
Training for data collector
The main findings of the baseline survey of the LSAHV will be disseminated this December in Hanoi.
The next round of the LSAHV will be conducted in 2020.
Baseline report of The Longitudinal Study of Ageing and Health in Viet Nam