Abstract
Does the health of women and men living with and without minor children differ, and are age differences evident in the association? For self-rated general health, depression, back pain, overweight, smoking and sporting inactivity, the GEDA data 2009–2012 (18–54 years, n = 39,096) were used to calculate prevalence for women and men stratified by parental status (living with children: yes/no) and age. Moreover, we calculated odds ratios and predictive margins, performing logistic regressions with interaction terms of parental status and age. Women and men aged 45–54 living with children are healthier than those not living with children. Parents aged 18–24 smoke more frequently and do less sport; young mothers are also more likely to be overweight and suffer from back pain than women not living with children. In multivariable analysis, the interaction of living with children and age is significant for all outcomes (except depression and back pain in men). Living with children is an important social determinant of health, highly dependent on age. It is to be discussed whether the bio-psycho-social situation has an influence on becoming a parent, or whether parenthood in different phases of life strains or enhances health.
Highlights
Living together with children can contribute to good health through close social and emotional relationships as well as mechanisms of structuring everyday life, social control and meaningfulness of life
On the other hand, living with children is associated with a number of demands and obligations as well as conflicting role expectations that can lead to stress and poor health [1,2,3]
All prevalences are significantly higher in those living with children
Summary
Living together with children can contribute to good health through close social and emotional relationships as well as mechanisms of structuring everyday life, social control and meaningfulness of life. On the other hand, living with children is associated with a number of demands and obligations as well as conflicting role expectations that can lead to stress and poor health [1,2,3]. This is especially true when problems in the partnership or the sole responsibility for the upbringing of the children, financial worries or low social support occur. Whereas some studies have reported better health and healthier behavior among parents than among women and men without children, other research reports poorer health among parents. Some studies have found no association between parenthood and health
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