Proposal for men’s healthcare strategy

During a National Assembly session on December 2 discussing the draft resolution on mechanisms and breakthrough policies for public healthcare, and the national health and population program for 2026–2035, delegate To Ai Vang (Can Tho) raised concerns over the health and longevity gap between genders.

According to Vang, statistics from the General Statistics Office show that women in Vietnam live about five years longer than men  -  a pattern consistent with global data.

Research by the World Health Organization and the United Nations shows men’s average life expectancy is typically 5–10 years shorter than women’s and the gap is widening.

In China, men live five years less than women. In the U.S., the gap is seven years. In Russia, it’s nearly ten.

Facing this disparity, Vang proposed that men be included as a specific demographic in national healthcare programs, to address gender-specific health challenges and improve both disease prevention and quality of life.

She also recommended adding a dedicated project on men’s health to the national program, focused on behavioral interventions, gender-focused communication, and friendly health services targeting men entering middle age.

“If not addressed, by the time men reach 70, they will experience significant health and lifestyle changes,” Vang warned.

“This could result in families and society lacking male pillars of support, leading to gender imbalance and undermining sustainable development in the aging population.”

She further argued that such imbalance may be a root cause of increased loneliness and inequality among elderly women.

Widowhood in old age: Women bear the brunt

According to the midterm national census (as of April 1, 2024), Vietnam’s population stands at 101.1 million, including 50.3 million men (49.8%) and 50.7 million women (50.2%).

The number of people aged 60 and above has reached 14.2 million  -  up by 2.8 million since 2019.

Projections estimate this figure will rise to nearly 18 million by 2030, adding almost 4 million more elderly individuals within six years.

Average life expectancy in 2024 reached 74.7 years, up 1.1 years from 2019.

The report “Older Persons in Vietnam: Analysis from the 2021 Population and Family Planning Survey” by the General Statistics Office and UNFPA reveals a growing imbalance: the older the population group, the higher the proportion of women.

Notably, women are over four times more likely than men to be widowed.

In every elderly age group, over 80% of those who have lost a spouse are women.

Chronic illness and limited independence among elderly

According to population expert Nguyen Dinh Cu, Vietnamese elderly people suffer from an average of 3–4 health conditions.

While life expectancy is increasing, so is the number of years lived with illness.

On average, Vietnamese spend around 10 years of their lives coping with chronic diseases, reducing their quality of life and years lived in good health.

The same report found that 11.7% of elderly people  -  about 1.47 million individuals  -  live with at least one functional disability such as vision, hearing, mobility, memory, focus, or communication.

Of particular concern, 6.32% (nearly 796,000 people) are either severely limited or unable to perform daily activities like eating, dressing, and bathing without assistance.

Women are more likely than men to fall into this category.

From a caregiving perspective, experts noted that widowhood  -  which affects women disproportionately  -  exposes elderly women to greater physical and mental health challenges, especially those who must live alone.

N. Huyen