A predictive model for the work needs of the elderly in Songkhla and Khon Kaen Province, 2017

Abstract

This research aimed to study factors related to the work need of the elderly and to create a model to predict the work need of the elderly in Songkhla and Khon Kaen provinces. The sample data included the elderly aged 55 years and over in Songkhla Province (558 people) and in Khon Kaen Province (718 people) totaling 1,276 people, obtained from the 2017 Survey of the Elderly in Thailand by the National Statistical Office. Analytical statistics included Chi-squared test and Logistic regression analysis. The results showed that 549 (43.0%) of 1,276 elderly people had work needs. The work needs of the elderly in Songkhla (43.2%) and Khon Kaen (42.9%) were not different (P-value=0.916). Elderly people of different ages had different work needs (P<0.05; P-value=0.000). Pre-retirement elderly had greater work need (67.2%) than post-retirement elderly (33.6%). Factors that were statistically significantly correlated with work need of the elderly were sex, age, education level, marital status, number of household members, home ownership, history of government service or state enterprise, income, adequacy of income, literacy, time required to continue working, household status, physical health status and employment status in the past 12 months. The model for predicting the work need of the elderly, was able to predict with 86.4 percent accuracy, with only one predicting factor that was employment status in the past 12 months.