Mark VanLandingham

Professor,
Tulane University

Geographic Focus:
Asia, SE

Projects
Our study uses both original and preexisting data to evaluate a number of potential impacts of HIV/AIDS epidemics upon older populations in Thailand, a country with a medium level of HIV. While we explore how older persons themselves may be put at risk of contracting HIV and AIDS, our focus is on the various indirect impacts on older persons associated with the infection of their young adult children. Such indirect impacts include economic and opportunity costs associated with care giving to infected children, potential loss of old age support from infected children, raising orphaned grandchildren, and health related effects, including physical and psychological strain. We use microsimulation techniques to estimate the number of older persons who will suffer the death of a child due to AIDS; and a combination of surveys, in-depth interviews, and key informant interviews to assess the types and intensity of these effects.

Related Projects

Socio-demographic Impact of AIDS Epidemic on Elderly in Thailand

The overarching goal of this project is to advance an empirically grounded understanding of how the AIDS epidemic directly and indirectly affects older persons (defined as 50 and above) in a developing country setting, and to advance the methodologies necessary to achieve this understanding. Our research focused on Thailand, a country with a medium level of HIV. To achieve this goal, we collected extensive quantitative and qualitative data using a variety of methods and also took advantage of limited preexisting data. While we explore how older persons themselves may be put at risk of contracting HIV and AIDS, our main focus is on the various indirect impacts on older persons associated with the infection of their adult children. Such indirect impacts include economic and opportunity costs associated with care giving to infected children, potential loss of old age support from infected children, raising orphaned grandchildren, and health related effects, including physical and psychological strain. We also examine coummity reaction and AIDS related stigma. We use microsimulation techniques to estimate the number of older persons who will suffer the death of a child due to AIDS; and a combination of surveys, in depth interviews, and key informant interviews to assess the types and intensity of these effects. We published a large number of research reports, journal articles and book chapters from the project. (See longer description for more details).

Related Publications

VanLandingham M, and Meekers D. 2006. HIV/AIDS and Population. in Encyclopedia of Sociology. G. Ritzer, Ed. Oxford: Blackwell Books.

VanLandingham M, Im-em W, and Saengtienchai C. 2005. "Community Reaction to Persons with HIV/AIDS and their Parents in Thailand." Journal of Health and Social Behavior 46(4): 392-410. (Also issued as University of Michigan, Population Studies Center Research Report No. 02-530, November 2002.)

VanLandingham M, Im-em W, and Saengtienchai C. Forthcoming. 2005. "Access to Treatment and Care Associated with HIV Infection among Members of AIDS Support Groups in Thailand." AIDSCARE (Also issued as Population Studies Center Research Report No. 02-530, November 2002.)

Kespichayawattana J, and VanLandingham M. 2003. "Health Impacts of co-residence with and care giving to persons with HIV/AIDS (PHAs) on older parents in Thailand." Journal of Nursing Scholarship 35(3): 217-224. (Also issued as University of Michigan, Population Studies Center Research Report No. 02-527, September 2002.)

Knodel J, and VanLandingham M. 2003. "Return Migration in the Context of Parental Assistance in the AIDS Epidemic: The Thai Experience." Social Science & Medicine 57(2): 327-342. (Also issued as Population Studies Center, University of Michigan, Research Report 01-492. November 2001.)

Knodel J, VanLandingham M, Saengtienchai C, Im-em W, and Kespichayawattana J. 2003. Data Collection Strategies for Studying the Impacts of AIDS on Older Parents: Lessons from Research in Thailand. PSC Research Report No. 03-537. Population Studies Center, University of Michigan.

Knodel J, Watkins S, and VanLandingham M. 2003. "AIDS and Older Persons: An International Perspective." JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology 33:S153-S165. (Supplement 2 Also issued as Population Studies Center, University of Michigan, Research Report No. 02-495, January 2002.)

VanLandingham M, and Knodel J. 2003. Sex and the Single (Older) Guy: Sexual Lives of Older Unmarried Thai Men During the AIDS Era. PSC Research Report No. 03-536. Population Studies Center, University of Michigan.

Wachter K, Knodel J, and VanLandingham M. 2003. "Parental Bereavement: Heterogeneous Impacts of AIDS in Thailand." Journal of Econometrics 112: 193-206. (Also issued as Population Studies Center, University of Michigan, Research Report 01-493, November 2001.)

Im-em W, VanLandingham M, Knodel J, and Saengtienchai C. 2002. "HIV/AIDS-related Knowledge and Attitudes: A Comparison of Older Persons and Young Adults in Thailand." AIDS Education and Prevention 14: 246-262. (Also issued as Population Studies Center, University of Michigan, Research Report No. 01-464.)

Knodel J, and VanLandingham M. 2002. "The Impact of the AIDS Epidemic on Older Persons." AIDS 16 (suppl 4): S77-S83.

Knodel J, Im-em W, Saengtienchai C, VanLandingham M, and Kespichayawattana J. 2002. The Impact of an Adult Child’s Death due to AIDS on Older-aged Parents: Results from a Direct Interview Survey. IPSC Research Report No. 266. Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University; Thailand. (Also issued as Population Studies Center, University of Michigan, Research Report 02-498, April 2002.)

Wachter K, Knodel J, and VanLandingham M. 2002. "AIDS and the Elderly of Thailand: Projecting Familial Impacts." Demography 39(1): 25-41. (Also issued as Population Studies Center, University of Michigan, Research Report 00-446, May 2000.)

Im-em W, VanLandingham M, Knodel J, and Saengtienchai C. 2001. Knowledge and Attitudes of Older People about HIV/AIDS in Thailand: A Comparison with Young Adults. IPSC Research Report No. 257. Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Thailand. (Also issued as Population Studies Center, University of Michigan, Research Report No. 01-464, 2001.)

Knodel J, Saengtienchai C, Im-em W, and VanLandingham M. 2001. "The Impact of AIDS on Parents and Families in Thailand: A Key Informant Approach." Reseach on Aging 23(6): 633-670.

Knodel J, VanLandingham M, Saengtienchai C, and Im-em W. 2001. "Older People and AIDS: Quantitative Evidence of the Impact in Thailand." Social Science & Medicine 52 (9): 1313-1327. (Also issued as Population Studies Center, University of Michigan, Research Report 00-443, January 2000.)

VanLandingham M, and Im-em W. 2001. Living with HIV/AIDS in Thailand: Results from a Self-administered Survey. PSC Research Report No. 01-488. Population Studies Center, University of Michigan.

Knodel J, Saengtienchai C, Im-em W, and VanLandingham M. 2000. The Impact of Thailand’s AIDS Epidemic on Older Persons: Quantitative Evidence from a Survey of Key Informants. IPSC Research Report No. 252. Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Thailand. (Also issued as Population Studies Center, University of Michigan, Research Report 00-448, July 2000.)

VanLandingham M, Knodel J, Im-em W, and Saengtienchai C. 2000. "The Impacts of HIV/AIDS on Older Populations in Developing Countries: Some observations based upon the Thai Case." Journal of Family Issues 21 (6): 777-805. (Also issued as Population Studies Center, University of Michigan, Research Report 99-441, October 1999 (Revised June 2000).)

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