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The long-term impact of war on health and wellbeing in Northern Vietnam: Some glimpses from a recent survey

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  • Teerawichitchainan, Bussarawan
  • Korinek, Kim

Abstract

War is deemed a major threat to public health; yet, the long-term effects of war on individual health have rarely been examined in the context of developing countries. Based on data collected as a pilot follow-up to the Vietnam Longitudinal Survey, this study examines current health profiles of northern Vietnamese war survivors who entered early adulthood during the Vietnam War and now represent Vietnam's older adult population. To ascertain how war and military service in the early life course may have had long-term impacts on health status of Vietnam's current older adults, we compare multi-dimensional measures of health among veterans and nonveterans, and within these groups, regardless of their military service, between combatants and noncombatants. Multivariate results suggest that despite prolonged exposure to war, veterans and those who served in combat roles are not significantly different from their civilian and noncombatant counterparts on most health outcomes later in life. This is in contrast to American veterans who fought on the opposing side of the war. The near absence of differences in older adult health among northern Vietnamese with varying degrees of war involvement might be explained by the encompassing extent of war; the notion that time heals; and the hardiness and resilience against ill health that are by-products of shared struggle in war and a victorious outcome.

Suggested Citation

  • Teerawichitchainan, Bussarawan & Korinek, Kim, 2012. "The long-term impact of war on health and wellbeing in Northern Vietnam: Some glimpses from a recent survey," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(12), pages 1995-2004.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:74:y:2012:i:12:p:1995-2004
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.01.040
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Carlos Dobkin & Reza Shabani, 2009. "The Health Effects Of Military Service: Evidence From The Vietnam Draft," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 47(1), pages 69-80, January.
    2. Panter-Brick, Catherine, 2010. "Conflict, violence, and health: Setting a new interdisciplinary agenda," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(1), pages 1-6, January.
    3. M. Merli, 2000. "Socioeconomic background and war mortality during Vietnam’s wars," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 37(1), pages 1-15, February.
    4. Janet M. Wilmoth & Andrew S. London & Wendy M. Parker, 2010. "Military Service and Men's Health Trajectories in Later Life," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 65(6), pages 744-755.
    5. Miguel, Edward & Roland, Gérard, 2011. "The long-run impact of bombing Vietnam," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(1), pages 1-15, September.
    6. Eggerman, Mark & Panter-Brick, Catherine, 2010. "Suffering, hope, and entrapment: Resilience and cultural values in Afghanistan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(1), pages 71-83, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kim Korinek & Peter Loebach & Ha Ngoc Trinh, 2017. "Military service and smoking in a cohort of northern Vietnamese older adults," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 62(1), pages 43-51, January.
    2. Jiyuan Wang & Rob Alessie & Viola Angelini, 2023. "Exposure in utero to adverse events and health late‐in‐life: Evidence from China," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(3), pages 541-557, March.
    3. Appau, Samuelson & Awaworyi Churchill, Sefa & Smyth, Russell & Trinh, Trong-Anh, 2021. "The long-term impact of the Vietnam War on agricultural productivity," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    4. Michael Palmer & Cuong Nguyen & Sophie Mitra & Daniel Mont & Nora Groce, 2016. "The long-term impact of war on health," HiCN Working Papers 216, Households in Conflict Network.

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