The overall goal is to provide a comprehensive empirical assessment of problems that AIDS poses for the older population in Thailand, the Asian country where the epidemic is the most advanced. Despite extensive research on the epidemiology of AIDS, little attention has been given to older adults who become infected. Even less is known about non-infected individuals impacted by the disease, i.e., those who may depend upon or who become responsible for the care of infected persons and their dependents. The impact can be substantial for older persons, especially in developing countries such as Thailand where infected adults often need to rely on their elderly parents for care and where the loss of an adult child can jeopardize the familial support on which the older population typically depends. The project has five specific aims: 1) To determine the demographic magnitude of older persons affected by AIDS (OPAA) as a result of the infection of their children and grandchildren; 2) To determine the specific consequences of AIDS among adult children and grandchildren for older persons; 3) To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of older persons related to AIDS including care giving practices; 4) To assess the demographic significance of the proportions of older persons infected with and dying of AIDS (older PWAs); and 5) To assess the characteristics and circumstances of older PWAs and how these features may differ from those of younger adults with AIDS. A multi-method approach is employed to investigate these problems. Methods include the analysis of existing surveys of older populations; the compilation and re- analysis of tabulated statistics; extraction and analysis of data from welfare assistance applications and health records; interviews with key informants; in-depth interviews with older PWAs and OPAAs; focus group discussions of local health volunteers and OPAAs; and small scale intensive sample surveys of OPAAs and comparison groups.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01AG015983-01
Application #
2704847
Study Section
Social Sciences and Population Study Section (SSP)
Project Start
1998-09-30
Project End
2000-08-31
Budget Start
1998-09-30
Budget End
1999-08-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Department
Miscellaneous
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
791277940
City
Ann Arbor
State
MI
Country
United States
Zip Code
48109
Vanlandingham, Mark; Knodel, John (2007) Sex and the single (older) guy: sexual lives of older unmarried Thai men during the AIDS era. J Cross Cult Gerontol 22:375-88
Vanlandingham, M; Im-Em, W; Yokota, F (2006) Access to treatment and care associated with HIV infection among members of AIDS support groups in Thailand. AIDS Care 18:637-46
VanLandingham, Mark J; Im-Em, Wassana; Saengtienchai, Chanpen (2005) Community reaction to persons with HIV/AIDS and their parents: an analysis of recent evidence from Thailand. J Health Soc Behav 46:392-410
Knodel, John; Im-Em, Wassana (2004) The economic consequences for parents of losing an adult child to AIDS: evidence from Thailand. Soc Sci Med 59:987-1001
Knodel, John; VanLandingham, Mark (2003) Return migration in the context of parental assistance in the AIDS epidemic: the Thai experience. Soc Sci Med 57:327-42
Knodel, John; Watkins, Susan; VanLandingham, Mark (2003) AIDS and older persons: an international perspective. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 33 Suppl 2:S153-65
Kespichayawattana, Jiraporn; VanLandingham, Mark (2003) Effects of coresidence and caregiving on health of Thai parents of adult children with AIDS. J Nurs Scholarsh 35:217-24
Knodel, John; VanLandingham, Mark (2002) The impact of the AIDS epidemic on older persons. AIDS 16 Suppl 4:S77-83
Im-em, Wassana; Vanlandingham, Mark; Knodel, John et al. (2002) HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and attitudes: a comparison of older persons and young adults in Thailand. AIDS Educ Prev 14:246-62
Wachter, Kenneth W; Knodel, John E; Vanlandingham, Mark (2002) AIDS and the elderly of Thailand: projecting familial impacts. Demography 39:25-41

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