In Vietnam, the survey was conducted with 1,000 people of various ages and occupations. The results showed a remarkable trend: Vietnamese people are prioritizing "living a quality life" over "living a long life".
Living a quality, healthy and financially independent life is more important than prolonging life
According to the United Nations' World Population Prospects 2024 report, the average life expectancy of Vietnamese people will increase from 74.6 years (in 2023) to 78.9 years (in 2050). However, the Manulife Asia Care survey shows that 'living long' is no longer the top desire of people today. Although the survey respondents predicted that the average life expectancy of Vietnamese people would be 80 years old, they expected to live to 76 years old, which is 4 years lower than the average prediction.
More specifically, among the current top desires, only 11% of Vietnamese people want to "live long". Meanwhile, 16% want to achieve financial independence, 15% prioritize having a quality life, 15% want to maintain good health both physically and mentally. Notably, in the 25-34 age group, 1 in 4 people want to be completely financially free.
Explaining why "living long" is no longer the top desire, 48% of respondents said they want to live a meaningful life and 44% want to live a quality life rather than a long life. In addition, 32% fear losing independence and initiative when they get old, 31% do not want to become a burden on their family, and 26% worry that medical expenses will become a burden when they get old... This shows a new perspective of Vietnamese people on life, which is to live a quality, healthy, meaningful and financially independent life, not just to prolong life.
Health is gold, or gold is health?
The survey results show that Vietnamese people seem to be pursuing a new definition of healthy living, where healthy living is not simply about not getting sick, but also about being able to live independently and do the things they love. Specifically, 80% of those surveyed expressed agreement with the view that “healthy living is the ability to live independently and do all the things that are important to me, instead of just trying not to get sick.”
The survey results also show that the expectation of a long and healthy life is the resonance of three top important factors, including physical health ( 40% ), mental health ( 32% ), and financial health ( 28% ). Notably, financial health has a clear impact on the remaining factors, with 83% of survey participants believing that financial stability is the most important factor in maintaining mental health; 81% believe that financial stability helps maintain physical health; and 79% believe that financial stability has a direct impact on longevity. In fact, financial health has a strong impact on mental health ( 88% ) - higher than other factors such as family ( 86% ), purpose in life ( 86% ), and social relationships ( 80% ).
Regarding the current financial behavior of Vietnamese people, the Manulife Asia Care 2025 survey shows that good financial preparation for retirement is a key factor, with cash, savings, pension plans and real estate being the top priorities. In addition, although cash is still the dominant savings channel at 46% , the survey results show that insurance and other long-term investment tools are increasingly being focused on by people with priority allocation rates including: insurance ( 26% ), stocks ( 11% ), investment funds ( 9% ), bonds ( 7% ).
Ms. Tina Nguyen , General Director of Manulife Vietnam, shared: “ This year's Manulife Asia Care survey has shown a new and interesting trend in the Vietnamese perspective on life. Prioritizing healthy living, quality living and the desire for financial independence instead of longevity shows that Vietnamese people are increasingly interested in and proactively taking care of their physical, mental and financial health. This is truly an opportunity for the insurance industry, including Manulife Vietnam, to make more efforts and be more creative to meet the needs of health care and financial planning for the people.”
Source: https://nhandan.vn/khao-sat-manulife-asia-care-2025-nguoi-viet-khong-uu-tien-song-lau-post889773.html
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