Household Need and Unmet Need for Caregivers of Older Persons in Thailand
1
Issued Date
2022-01-01
Resource Type
ISSN
08959420
eISSN
15450821
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85139933148
Journal Title
Journal of Aging and Social Policy
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Journal of Aging and Social Policy (2022)
Suggested Citation
Phetsitong R., Vapattanawong P. Household Need and Unmet Need for Caregivers of Older Persons in Thailand. Journal of Aging and Social Policy (2022). doi:10.1080/08959420.2022.2132081 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/86810
Title
Household Need and Unmet Need for Caregivers of Older Persons in Thailand
Author(s)
Author's Affiliation
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
The need for caregivers is a crucial issue in Thailand. This research examined levels and trends of household needs and unmet needs for caregivers of older persons and explored potential factors associated with these needs. The analysis utilized data from the Survey of Older Persons in Thailand 2007, 2011, 2014, and 2017. The household need for a caregiver of older persons was defined as a household with one or more older people who needed a caregiver to help them perform basic activities of daily living. The unmet need for a caregiver referred to households where at least one older person in the household needed care but did not receive it. Findings illustrated the increasing levels and trends of household needs as well as unmet needs over time. In terms of potential determinants, older person households in Bangkok and households with higher socioeconomic status were more likely to be the household need for caregivers. In contrast, those households in the Northeastern, the poorest region, were more likely to be the unmet need household. These findings are indicative of the rising demand for long-term care services in Thailand. However, it is vital to consider unmet household needs, especially in the worse-off area, when designing national policies.