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Aging in multi-ethnic Malaysia

Aging in multi-ethnic Malaysia
Aging in multi-ethnic Malaysia
Multiethnic Malaysia provides a unique case study of divergence in population aging of different sociocultural subgroups within a country. Malaysia represents 3 major ethnicities in Asia—the Malay, Chinese, and Indian. The 3 ethnic groups are at different stages of population aging, as they have undergone demographic transition at different pace amidst rapid social and economic changes. Between 1991 and 2010, the Malaysian population aged 60 and over has more than doubled from about 1 million to 2.2 million, and this is projected to rise to about 7 million or 17.6% of the projected population of 40 million by 2040. In 2010, the aging index ranged from 22.8% among the Bumiputera (Malays and other indigenous groups), to 31.4% among the Indians and 55.0% among the Chinese. Population aging provides great challenges for Malaysia’s social and economic development. The increasing prevalence of noncommunicable diseases in older adults, coupled with the erosion of the traditional family support system has increased demands on health care services with an overwhelming need for multidisciplinary and specialized geriatric care. Following the adoption of the National Policy for the Elderly in 1995, issues of population aging have gained increasing attention, especially among researchers. There is an urgent need to increase public awareness, develop infrastructure, as well as support action oriented research that will directly translate to comprehensive and cohesive social strategies, policies, and legislation to protect not just the current older Malaysians but the future of all Malaysians.
aging population, older adults, health, ethnic groups, bumiputera, malays, chinese, indians
0016-9013
1-7
Tey, N.P.
8a018620-aeeb-460a-a4d7-1bdac92a7d0d
Siraj, S.B.
b8c5fd34-a593-45ac-890e-06f1bd58e1a5
Kamaruzzaman, S.B.B.
84c7f34d-a80d-4f1d-b326-66c6fb854904
Chin, A.V.
d3c43852-8402-46e4-aa89-15b1ffcf2509
Tan, M.P.
9ed398b7-c70d-4fdc-aed3-7e0ec5a2e503
Sinnappan, G.S.
2853f2ce-110f-447a-bda1-4565e5e16b9e
Muller, A.M.
3607c572-459a-43ac-9c3a-7fc0ce7defa9
Tey, N.P.
8a018620-aeeb-460a-a4d7-1bdac92a7d0d
Siraj, S.B.
b8c5fd34-a593-45ac-890e-06f1bd58e1a5
Kamaruzzaman, S.B.B.
84c7f34d-a80d-4f1d-b326-66c6fb854904
Chin, A.V.
d3c43852-8402-46e4-aa89-15b1ffcf2509
Tan, M.P.
9ed398b7-c70d-4fdc-aed3-7e0ec5a2e503
Sinnappan, G.S.
2853f2ce-110f-447a-bda1-4565e5e16b9e
Muller, A.M.
3607c572-459a-43ac-9c3a-7fc0ce7defa9

Tey, N.P., Siraj, S.B., Kamaruzzaman, S.B.B., Chin, A.V., Tan, M.P., Sinnappan, G.S. and Muller, A.M. (2015) Aging in multi-ethnic Malaysia. The Gerontologist, 1-7. (doi:10.1093/geront/gnv153). (PMID:26553738)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Multiethnic Malaysia provides a unique case study of divergence in population aging of different sociocultural subgroups within a country. Malaysia represents 3 major ethnicities in Asia—the Malay, Chinese, and Indian. The 3 ethnic groups are at different stages of population aging, as they have undergone demographic transition at different pace amidst rapid social and economic changes. Between 1991 and 2010, the Malaysian population aged 60 and over has more than doubled from about 1 million to 2.2 million, and this is projected to rise to about 7 million or 17.6% of the projected population of 40 million by 2040. In 2010, the aging index ranged from 22.8% among the Bumiputera (Malays and other indigenous groups), to 31.4% among the Indians and 55.0% among the Chinese. Population aging provides great challenges for Malaysia’s social and economic development. The increasing prevalence of noncommunicable diseases in older adults, coupled with the erosion of the traditional family support system has increased demands on health care services with an overwhelming need for multidisciplinary and specialized geriatric care. Following the adoption of the National Policy for the Elderly in 1995, issues of population aging have gained increasing attention, especially among researchers. There is an urgent need to increase public awareness, develop infrastructure, as well as support action oriented research that will directly translate to comprehensive and cohesive social strategies, policies, and legislation to protect not just the current older Malaysians but the future of all Malaysians.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 17 September 2015
e-pub ahead of print date: 9 November 2015
Keywords: aging population, older adults, health, ethnic groups, bumiputera, malays, chinese, indians
Organisations: Psychology

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 388795
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/388795
ISSN: 0016-9013
PURE UUID: 15bcf2a1-cd52-449a-b96b-fdaa32e033f0

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 03 Mar 2016 11:56
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 23:01

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Contributors

Author: N.P. Tey
Author: S.B. Siraj
Author: S.B.B. Kamaruzzaman
Author: A.V. Chin
Author: M.P. Tan
Author: G.S. Sinnappan
Author: A.M. Muller

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