Remittances, communication, and the economic well-being of the left-behind older parents of OFW children: a mediation analysis
Date
2026-01-05
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Abstract
"This study investigates the impact of labor migration on the economic well-being of left-behind older parents in the Philippines, focusing on the mediating roles of financial support and communication. Using data from the 2018 Longitudinal Study of Ageing and Health in the Philippines (LSAHP), mediation analysis was applied using the inverse odds ratio weighting (IORW) approach to decompose the total effect of having a migrant child into direct effects and indirect effects through monthly financial support and communication frequency. Economic well-being is assessed through five indicators including food insecurity, asset ownership, access to utilities, dependence on social safety nets, and perceived life satisfaction. The results show that having a migrant child significantly improves the economic status of older parents, primarily through increased financial support. Mediation analysis reveals that financial support is the dominant pathway, significantly reducing food insecurity and increasing asset ownership. While communication status has a modest impact on material outcomes, it plays a distinct role in enhancing perceived life satisfaction and facilitating utilities access. Notably, neither mediator significantly accounts for the parents' dependence on government social safety nets. The findings suggest that while remittances address material needs, communication serves as a non-monetary channel for emotional well-being and household decision-making."
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older parents, remittances, communication, economic well-being, mediation analysis, Labor migration