Mitigating poverty and disablement in older age in Myanmar
Short description
Poverty and disability typically operate in a cycle, with one reinforcing the other, often exacerbated for women and older adults where social safety nets are weak: a reality in Myanmar. Evidence-informed policy action, which is currently lacking in Myanmar, is needed to break the cycle.
The project aims to explore determinants that influence and shape ageing and older adult lives – from their life choices, to their local environment, to the services they access – and how these come together to affect their wellbeing, care needs and utilization.
The Ministry of Public Health and HelpAge International in Myanmar collaborate in this project. The results of the project can be used to understand what drives health and health inequalities in older people and to improve their health in this resource-constrained setting.
Background
Most older persons across South-East Asian countries, such as Myanmar, do not benefit from formal social safety nets, and are therefore vulnerable as they age. Little attention has been paid to older people’s health, with a commensurately small amount of attention on research. Furthermore, the unequal distribution of health between and within different social groups is an on-going concern. The current proposed research will fill research gaps explaining the complexity of factors influencing equitable healthy ageing in Myanmar, a country undergoing rapid economic and health transitions with health systems financially and technically unprepared to cope with the consequences of these transitions, and ultimately to prevent the damaging effects of poverty.
Aim
The overall aim of this research project is to understand patterns and structural and intermediary determinants of inequalities in health and health care utilisation among older people in Myanmar. Through this project, we will contribute to the evidence for the development of inclusive social policies in promoting healthy ageing and addressing the vicious cycle of poverty and health. This is happening in the context of a country undergoing rapid economic and health transitions with health systems financially and technically unprepared to cope with the consequences of these transitions.
More specifically, we define three specific objectives to address the overall aim:
- To analyse the gendered and socioeconomic inequalities in health and health care utilisation among older people in Myanmar.
- To analyse changes in older people’s life circumstances and how the changes and contextual factors influence their health and health care utilisation.
- To identify barriers and enablers in promoting equitable health and health care utilisation for older people in need in Myanmar.
MEMBERS
Godfrey Paul, HelpAge International Myanmar
Khin Thiri Maung, HelpAge International Myanmar
