Unmet needs for care for activities of daily living among older adults with functional disabilities in Vietnam

BACKGROUND: Given its low-middle-income status, Vietnam is experiencing a rapidly aging population. Along with this demographic trend, the care needs of older adults, particularly those with functional disabilities, have become an emerging policy issue. PURPOSE: This study examined the prevalence of unmet needs for care in activities of daily living (ADLs) among Vietnamese older adults with functional disabilities. METHODS: We used data from the Population Change and Family Planning Survey (PCS) in 2021, which was a nationally representative survey. Cross-tabulations and logistic regressions were applied to identify older adults' individual and household factors associated with their unmet care needs. RESULTS: Overall, 4.80% of older adults with at least one functional disability needing care to perform one or more ADLs suffered from unmet needs, of whom 2.32% did not receive any care and 3.05% received insufficient assistance. Logistic regression results revealed that age, sex, place of residence, ethnicity, marital status, education levels, and self-rated health were significantly associated with unmet needs. The higher risk of having unmet needs is associated with those in middle age (70–79), men, rural residents, ethnic minorities, currently unmarried people, those with less than a primary educational level, and those with normal or poor self-rated health. CONCLUSION: Attention should be paid to vulnerable older adults, such as those living in rural areas with poor health status, in order to reduce their unmet needs for ADL assistance.