Feelings of abandonment among elderly people in rural Thailand : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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Date
2011
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Massey University
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Abstract
The study was focused on feelings of abandonment among elderly people whose
children had left their home villages in rural Northeast Thailand. Sequential mixed
methods were employed. A cross-sectional survey (Study A) was used to
determine (1) the extent and degree to which older persons living in a rural area of
Northeast Thailand felt abandoned by the migration of their children from their
home province; (2) the factors which affect feelings of abandonment; (3) the
impact that feelings of abandonment had on their quality of life. Ethnographic
methods (Study B) were then used to gain an in-depth understanding of the
experiences and meaning of abandonment from the perspectives of those who
identified as feeling abandoned or not feeling abandoned. Furthermore, data were
obtained and analysed that highlighted the way in which the two groups solved
problems when facing difficult circumstances.
A cross sectional survey, consisting of 113 questions including the 26-item
WHOQOL-BREF and the 24-item WHOQOL-OLD was administered to 212
participants who ranged in age from 60 to 107 with a mean age of 71. While only
9% were found to live alone, 20% stated that they felt abandoned to some degree.
To identify the factors which may impact on feelings of abandonment,
participants were assigned to groups based on their stated feelings of
abandonment (i.e., abandoned / not abandoned) and compared on 21 variables.
They were found to differ on 7 of those (i.e., age, level of education, whether they
lived alone or with others, satisfaction with living arrangements, frequency of
contact with any of their children, degree of economic hardship, and family
support). A standard multiple regression was performed to predict variance of
feelings of abandonment using those 7 variables. These variables predicted 23%
of variance in feelings of abandonment in this sample. Only 4 variables (i.e,
frequency of contact with any of their children, living alone or with others, degree
of economic hardship and family support) were found to make a unique and
significant contribution to this prediction. A one-way between groups MANOVA
was conducted to determine if those who felt abandoned differed from those who
did not on a single-item question of overall quality of life and the total scores for
the WHOQOL-BREF and WHOQOL-OLD. Significant differences were found
between groups on the total scores for the WHOQOL-BREF and the WHOQOLOLD
only.
Participants in Study B were initially selected from those in Study A and
supplemented by purposive sampling in the study setting. Twenty-five
participants, 14 who felt abandoned and 11 who did not feel abandoned were
recruited. Data collection involved participant observation and in-depth
interviews. Thematic analysis was employed for data analysis. The findings from
Study B were that the reasons for feeling abandoned (as perceived by elderly
parents) are constructed from children’s actions perceived as negative by parents,
economic hardship, illness/spouse’s sickness, and hopelessness. Of these reasons,
only two were also identified in the cross-sectional survey the frequency of
negative contacts with children and degree of economic hardship showed as
quantitative measures of abandonment. Problem solving by participants is
formulated from several bases: using Buddha’s teachings, acting positively
towards their children, focusing on life’s satisfaction, finding financial solutions,
seeking support and dealing with sorrow.
Recommendations made as a result of this study draw attention mainly to the
minimization of the negative effects of labour migration on elders. In addition, the
government, health care workers, and community should play an active role in
taking care of those old persons left behind, especially aging people who live
alone, by providing community bases and home health care services rather than
increasing institutional services. This could substantially change the implications
of migration on the well-being of the parents, especially when illness or frailty
occurs and daily personal assistance is needed.
Description
Appendix B and appendix D have been extracted due to copyright restrictions:
Zimet, G., Dahlem, N.W., Zimet, S.G., Farley, G.K. (1988) ‘The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support’, Journal of Personality Assessment, 52(1): 30-41 ;
World Health Organization (1996) ‘WHOQOL-BREF introduction, administration, scoring and generic version of the assessment’;
World Health Organization (2006) ‘WHOQOL-OLD manual’;
Sudnongbua, S., LaGrow, S., Boddy, J (2011) 'Feelings of abandonment and quality of life among older persons in rural Northeast Thailand', Journal of Cross Cultural Gerontology, 25: 257-269
Keywords
Older people, Family relationships, Psychology of elderly