Active Aging Index in Vietnam Relative to China, Korea, Taiwan, and 28 EU Countries

What is it about?

Objectives: This study constructed an Active Aging Index (AAI) for Vietnam and compares Vietnam’s AAI with those of China, Korea, Taiwan, and 28 countries in the European Union. Methods: A survey of 1,105 people aged 55 or above in three provinces from the northern, central, and southern parts of Vietnam was conducted. Active aging was measured using the AAI; its 22 indicators were grouped into four domains: employment, social participation, independent/healthy/secure living, and enabling environments. Results: Of the 32 countries reviewed, Vietnam ranked 11th. It ranked high for employment (1st) and social participation (5th) but low for independent/healthy/secure living (32nd) and enabling environments (26th). Conclusion: Three policy priorities were identified: maintaining a high preference-driven social and workforce participation rate among older adults; promoting medical care and healthy behaviors among older adults; and improving other poorly performing aspects of active aging, including voluntary activities, poverty risk, Internet usage, and lifelong learning.

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Why is it important?

In response to the challenges of global population aging, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed a policy frame- work to promote active aging and defined “active aging is a process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation, and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age” (WHO, 2002, p. 12). Active aging empowers people to realize their potential for physical, social, and mental health through- out the life course, and to participate in society according to their needs, desires, and capacities, while providing them with adequate protection, security, and care when they require assis- tance (WHO, 2002, p. 12). The WHO has called for more research to develop an effective tool to measure and monitor active aging, and evaluate the implementation of policies that promote active aging. Active aging and tool development have been studied exten- sively. In 2012, the Active Aging Index (AAI) based on the WHO’s active aging framework was developed by experts from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (Zaidi et al., 2013). The AAI aims at measuring the realized potential of older people to contribute to the economy and society. The AAI includes 22 indicators grouped into four domains, including employment (D1); social participation (D2); independent, healthy and secure living (D3); and capac- ity and enabling environment for active aging (D4). The first three domains measure the current situation of active aging, whereas the fourth domain evaluates factors that enable or hinder active aging. The fourth domain was inspired by Amar- tya Sen’s Capability Theory, which emphasizes one’s function- ings and capabilities. Functionings are beings and doings that are various states of human beings and activities that people can undertake to live a good life that they value or have reasons to value doing or being (Robeyns, 2011). Some examples of beings are being healthy, being independent, being educated, and being helpful. Examples of doings are traveling, participat- ing in unpaid voluntary or political activities, and so on. A capability reflects a person’s ability to fulfill a given function (being or doing) (Robeyns, 2011). We explored the current results of Vietnam’s version of the AAI (VAAI) and compared them to those of other countries, including China, South Korea, Taiwan, and the 28 EU countries.