Parent Care and Filial Support: Sharing between Adult Siblings in Some Localities in Vietnam

Tóm tắt

Drawing on a cultural approach, this article analyzes relationships among adult siblings in the provision of care and filial support for aging parents. The analysis is based on survey data from 931 married respondents aged 25 and older, with at least one sibling alive. The data were collected from six wards/communes across Ninh Bình (2020), Quảng Nam (2024), and An Giang (2024). The findings reveal that the eldest son(s) in general continue(s) to play a central role in caregiving and filial support for elder parents. However, other children also actively participate in this process, not merely out of obligation but as a means of maintaining emotional bonds and solidarity within the extended family. This indicates the continued relevance of traditional norms regarding sibling roles in parent care. Key factors that shape patterns of involvement in elder care include being the eldest son, being a son, and physical proximity to parents. Nonetheless, levels of satisfaction with current caregiving arrangements are relatively consistent across different social groups, suggesting a prevalence and stability around the shared nature of caregiving responsibilities among siblings. The study also identifies regional variations in patterns of division of parent care across the three distinct cultural regions of Vietnam.