Journal Article

Assessment of Social Development Across Age Groups in Vietnam: Employing the Demographic Metric of Literate Life Expectancy

Do, Hang Thi Thuy, Dang, Truc Ngoc Hoang

2025

Overview

This study utilizes the demographic metric of Literate Life Expectancy (LLE) to evaluate Vietnam’s 70-year journey of social development across birth cohorts. By analyzing the Life Table (2019) and Age-specific Literacy Rates (2020), the magnitude of the gap in LLE between women and men is calculated to provide insights into the progress of healthcare initiatives and literacy improvement. A narrow women-men gap in LLE indicates a society with higher mortality rates and a significant literacy gap between women and men. Conversely, a wide women-men gap in LLE illustrates a society with lower mortality rates and apparent gender equality in literacy. Findings reveal three distinct stages of social development in Vietnam. Stage 1 (1935–1945) indicates LLE for women being lower than that of men which reflects slow pace of social progress during colonization. Stage 2 (1945–1975) illustrates LLE for women surpassing that of men, marking developing social progress after Vietnam’s declaration of independence from colonization. Stage 3 (1975–2004) shows a widening women-men gap in LLE, reflecting rapid social development with revolutionary reforms in healthcare and education after the Vietnam War. The discussion section outlines a compilation of basic education and primary healthcare policies corresponding to stages of social development in Vietnam. Plain language summary Measuring social development in Vietnam across birth cohorts using literate life expectancy This study examines how social development in Vietnam has changed over the past 70 years by looking at different generations. We use a measure called Literate Life Expectancy (LLE), which combines life expectancy with literacy rates, to understand these changes. By analyzing the differences in LLE between women and men, we can explore Vietnam’s social development across generations, which corresponds to historical milestones. A small gap in LLE between women and men suggests higher mortality rates and a large difference in literacy between genders, while a larger gap indicates lower mortality rates and better gender equality in literacy. Our findings show three stages of social development in Vietnam: Stage 1 (1935–1945), during which LLE for women was lower than LLE for men, indicating slow progress during colonization; Stage 2 (1945–1975), when, after gaining independence, LLE for women surpassed LLE for men, showing developing social progress; and Stage 3 (1975–2004), where the gap between LLE for women and LLE for men widened, reflecting rapid social development with significant improvements in healthcare and education following the Vietnam War. The study also discusses various education and healthcare policies that correspond to these stages of social development in Vietnam.

• Publisher: SAGE Publications,SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC,SAGE Publishing
• Subject: Age differences / Age groups / Attrition (Research Studies) / Colonization / Education / Education policy / Females / Gender differences / Gender equity / Gender inequality / Health care policy / Health services / Independence / Life expectancy / Literacy / Males / Men / Mortality / Mortality Rate / Mortality rates / Primary care / Social change / Social development / Social groups / Social progress / Social reform / Vietnam War / Women