Abstract
This study examined the demographic, socioeconomic, health, and well-being of rural-dwelling older Cambodians and identified differentials based on age and gender. The goal is to understand disparities in wealth, health, well-being, and support systems among older adults within the context of Cambodia’s history of civil unrest and socio-cultural norms. A regionally representative sample from three northwestern Cambodian provinces was used to evaluate household wealth, economic satisfaction, health, psychological well-being, social support, and a government welfare program. Analysis was conducted to document how these factors differed by age and gender. Significant gender differentials in demographics, well-being, and support systems were observed. Older women outnumbered men and reported lower levels of social support and psychological well-being, potentially influenced by high widowhood rates and gender-linked cultural norms. Education levels were generally low, possibly due to disruption from wars and conflicts. Relative to neighboring countries, the health status of older Cambodians was poor, though no significant gender-based health disparities were identified. There were differences in debt and wealth accumulation among age groups but no variation in welfare support by age or gender. These findings underline the significance of addressing gender disparities and socio-cultural factors affecting older Cambodians. They underscore the need for policy attention toward older women’s psychological well-being and support systems, as well as health and social support interventions for the oldest age groups. Future research should investigate these observed patterns, accounting for regional variations and survivor selection bias.
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Data Availability
The data analyzed during the current study are not publicly available because they constitute an excerpt of research in progress but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
I would like to acknowledge the commitment to transparency and openness in research, in line with the principles of the Transparency and Openness Promotion (TOP) guidelines. The data, analytic methods, and materials will be shared with other researchers for replication purposes once requested. This study was not pre-registered. I also would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Professor Nancy Morrow-Howell for her invaluable mentorship, guidance, and unwavering support throughout the development of this research article.
Funding
The collection of data used in this work was supported by a research grant from the Open Society Foundations. The research reported in this work was supported by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health under award number R36AG080213-02. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
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Kuy, K. Association of Socioeconomic Characteristics with Health and Well-Being of Rural Older Cambodians. J Cross Cult Gerontol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-024-09508-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-024-09508-7