Abstract
The number of ageing population in Thailand has been increased rapidly. The country was ranked as the most aged economy in South-east Asia after Singapore. However, there exists a body of research that associates social connectedness with good health. It hence is the objective of this study to examine of whether the correlation holds for Thai elderly. Using the first round pilot survey on Health, Ageing and Retirement in Thailand (HART), the study found that being married and, the level of education of the respondent contribute positively significantly to the probability of reporting good physical and mental health. The more the elderly participate in social activities, the higher the probability of reporting good or very good health, in particular, the mental health. Social participations to good physical health is an income equivalence of a 5 percent increase in an individual non-labor income, whilst social participations to good mental health accounts to almost 14 percent increase in the total asset value. Participating in voluntary associations thus reduces heath inequalities among older people. The research findings hence advocate for the social involvement of elderly people as a part of the quality ageing policy and the community-based welfare policy.
Highlights
Due to longevity of population over the last three decades, the ageing population of Thailand has increased rapidly
There exists a body of research that associates social connectedness with good health
The more the elderly participate in social activities, the higher the probability of reporting good or very good health, in particular, the mental health
Summary
Due to longevity of population over the last three decades, the ageing population of Thailand has increased rapidly. Recent research findings has associated social connectedness with good health started from the study by Putnam (2000), Szreter & Woolcock (2004), Islam, Merlo, Kawachi, Lingstrom, & Gerthan (2006), Sirven & Debrand (2008), Ichida, Kondo, Hirai, Hanibuchi, Yoshikawa, & Murata (2009), and so on These results correspond to Article 10 of the Political Declaration of the Second World Assembly on Ageing, 2002 in Madrid that “The potential of older persons is a powerful basis for future development. Vol 8, No 15; 2012 as a process of increasing opportunities for health to enable older people to take part in society It is, the objective of this study to employ the first wave of the pilot panel survey on Health, Ageing and Retirement in Thailand (HART) to answer two research questions; whether social involvement of Thai elderly help to improve their physical and mental health, and whether social capital or financial capital has more influence on the older adults’ health status.
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