Differences In Economic Well-being Research Articles

Evaluating The Economic Impact Of Marriage Versus Cohabitation In Same-Sex Couples Age 50+

Utilizing the first set of 5-year American Community Survey data available since the United States’ legalization of same-sex marriage in mid-2015, this poster investigates the economic security of older adults (age 50+) in same-sex marriages compared to those in same-sex partnerships who are cohabiting but not married. Viewed through the lens of cumulative disadvantage theory, we consider differences in the economic circumstances of same-sex couples by gender and by geographic location. Findings point to gender differences in economic well-being, but relatively few differences based on marital status. For example, rates of low income are somewhat higher among female couples than among their male counterparts, but marital status differences are not substantial. These findings suggest that the benefits of being married that have long been recognized among older adults may not extend equally to same-sex couples. Findings are discussed with respect to the emerging salience of marriage within the LGBTQ older community, future research opportunities, and important policy implications.

Evaluating The Economic Impact Of Marriage Versus Cohabitation In Same-Sex Couples Age 50+

Studies consistently show that Hispanics, especially first-generation Mexican immigrants, face lower mortality risks in mid-to-late life than US-born non-Hispanic whites. This extended lifespan defies expectations given Hispanics’ disadvantaged socioeconomic status relative to whites and thus is referred to as the Hispanic paradox. However, it remains an open question as to whether the Hispanic paradox in mortality mirrors a lower chronic disease burden. To address this gap, this study will combine and leverage two harmonized longitudinal population-based data sources of late-middle-aged and older adults in the United States and Mexico; the Health and Retirement Study and the Mexican Health and Aging Study. First, I evaluate differences in the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and mortality risk for older adults living in Mexico, first-generation Mexican immigrants to the US, US-born Mexican Americans, and US-born whites. Second, I explore the extent to which the proportion of deaths attributable to MetS in each of these groups can be explained by differences in socioeconomic and health/behavioral characteristics. This study uses Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the mortality risks of MetS across groups, as well as the associated population attributable fractions (PAFs) to investigate potential differences within a decomposition framework. Developing this detailed understanding of metabolic health and the associated mortality risks across multiple generations of older Mexican immigrants may help us identify modifiable lifestyle and behavioral factors to better manage these conditions and alleviate possible complications as current and future generations of Mexican immigrants age in the US.

The Extended TANF Application Period and Applicant Outcomes: Evidence from Wisconsin

This article examines the characteristics and income patterns associated with welfare entry and nonentry in the context of an extended application period for a sample of 1,664 women who applied for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families services in Wisconsin in the fall of 2006. The study uses data derived from the systematic review of caseworker notes as well as administrative data on welfare participation, earnings, child support, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Earned Income Tax Credit estimates, and Supplemental Security Income receipt. It finds that about one-half of those who applied for services did not enter the welfare program within a 60-day time frame. Results indicate that those with consistent employment prior to applying for services, those with very young children, and pregnant applicants are less likely to drop out. In examining differences in economic well-being in the year following an application, the study finds that those who applied for and entered welfare (participants) and those who applied for but did not enter (dropouts) generally had similarly high levels of poverty. However, dropouts had higher rates of deep poverty, with some subgroups--such as those who had declined services--fating better than others. KEY WORDS: poverty; TANF; welfare; welfare application ********** The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-110) ushered in a new era of work-based welfare. Benefits are time limited and are no longer an entitlement; work activities are generally mandatory in exchange for cash assistance. These components of postreform Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs were designed to move low-income families off the welfare rolls and into the labor market, reducing caseloads and reliance on welfare. An expansive literature on welfare leavers has documented the dramatic decline in TANF caseloads and increased employment among single mothers, although findings point to poverty-level earnings and future spells of welfare receipt for many (for a review of welfare leaver outcomes, see Acs & Loprest, 2004; Cancian, Haveman, Meyer, & Wolfe, 2002; Cancian & Meyer, 2004; Danziger, Heflin, Corcoran, Oltmans, & Wang, 2002; Grogger & Karoly, 2005; Wu, Cancian, & Meyer, 2008). Although scholars continue to debate the impact of welfare reform policies relative to the economy on postreform caseload decline (see Danielson & Klerman, 2008), the strong work-first approach of modern welfare programs, which generally offer lower cash benefits than those earned through unsubsidized employment, shares some credit for the sharp reduction in caseloads and the increase in low-income women's employment (Blank & Schmidt, 2001; Grogger & Karoly, 2005; Moffit, 2002). There is another contributor to reduced welfare caseloads: TANF policies that redirect applicants before they enroll, often referred to as (Besharov & Germanis, 2007; Danielson & Klerman, 2008; Meyers & Lurie, 2005; Ridzi & London, 2006). Two popular diversion tools are (1) one-time cash payments offered in lieu of TANF participation and (2) extended application periods during which applicants participate in mandatory job-search activities over a prescribed number of days prior to eligibility determination. Diversion procedures are intended to attach unemployed applicants to the labor market or maintain employment for the working poor prior to TANF enrollment, thereby promoting self-sufficiency among target groups. There are, however, concerns regarding the effectiveness of diversion tools in moving applicants into employment and targeting the appropriate groups. For example, scholarship on lump-sum cash payments suggests that those who are both the best and least equipped for the labor market are targeted, and a substantial number of recipients cycle onto TANF soon after receipt of the payment (Hetling, Ovwigho, & Born, 2007; Helting, Tracy, & Born, 2006; London, 2003). …

Meanness, Generosity, and Rawlsian Distributive Justice

In many societies (such as ours in the West) there are large differences in economic well-being among the citizens. In the market place, there are incentives in the millions of dollars for those at the top of the corporate world. For those at the bottom of the economy, the incentives can be literally in the tens of dollars. Can those large inequities be defended on a theory of justice? Roxanne Marie Kurtz evaluates a Rawlsian theory of justice and determines whether it can withstand attack from philosophers who maintain that such large economic inequity as is common in most modern societies are simply indefensible and socially unjust.

Colonization and the Rule of Law: Comparing the Effectiveness of Common Law and Civil Law Countries

The rule of law is one of the most important components of any explanation of cross-national differences in economic well-being. But what leads to better rule of law in a country? Using an institutional approach this paper probes the effect of legal systems in influencing the rule of law. There has long been speculation that the countries adopting English common law are better at providing legal dispute resolution than those adopting the continental forms of civil law. That speculative assessment is found to be true only in those countries that have been colonized, further analysis demonstrates that it is the effectiveness of the protection of property rights in common law systems rather than the institutions themselves that influence rule of law statistics. The paper calls for a more refined examination of legal systems which takes into consideration whether law is organically developed or transplanted.

Gender Dimensions of Support for Elderly in Vietnam

Although women and the elderly are assumed to be disadvantaged in much of the world, systematic empirical studies of gender differences in well-being among the elderly are rare. This article examines gender differences in elderly support and socio-economic well-being in Vietnam using census and survey data. Sources of support examined include work, nonfamilial support, and especially familial support including living arrangements. The authors consider the gender of the support recipient and provider. Substantial regional differences in the patriarchal/patrilineal family system, manifested in the wide regional variation in coresidence with married sons rather than daughters, make Vietnam a particularly interesting context for the study. The receipt of intergenerational transfers shows little variation across gender once the mediating effect of marital status differences is controlled. Gender differences in economic well-being, as measured by household wealth and self-perceptions of economic satisfaction, are modest, especially when marital status and age are controlled.

Gender Differences in the Economic Well-Being of Nonaged Adults in the United States

SUMMARY The attainment of economic parity between men and women has been a focal point of the women's movements in many countries. How much worse off are women economically? What are the net, gender differences in economic well-being when other factors are taken into account? What factors explain the level of economic well-being of women compared to men's? This article reports the results of a study of the gender differences in the economic well-being of women and men in the United States from 1969 to 1999. The major findings are that the gender differential in economic well-being widened during these decades; women's economic well-being was more adversely affected by non-married status than men's; the increasing educational attainment of women offset the adverse effect of marital dissolution on them; and women continued to pay a higher price for caring for children than did men. Implications for policy are discussed.

Ethnic diversity in economic wellbeing: The combined significance of income, wealth and assets levels

This paper uses data gathered from the Family Resources Survey to examine ethnic differences in economic wellbeing in Britain. It argues that, although a focus on ethnic variation in income levels is useful, a more comprehensive picture of ethnic economic diversity can be obtained by also taking into account general levels of wealth and assets. This is particularly important in order to obtain a better understanding of how ethnic economic advantages and disadvantages build up over the life-course. It also encourages more attention to be paid to how wealth is accumulated and transferred within families and between generations. The research findings show a complex picture of ethnic economic diversity with some ethnic groups (White, Chinese and Indian) over-represented in the doubly advantaged, asset-rich and income-rich category and a larger number of groups (Black-African, Black-Other, Pakistani and Bangladeshi) who were doubly disadvantaged (being both asset- and income-poor). The paper concludes that the short-term economic position of families in both groups has longer-term consequences in terms of the potential for ethnic economic divisions to intensify.

Work and Family Issues: Policies, Programs, and Approaches

Lewis, S., & Lewis, J. (Eds.). (1996). The Work-Family Challenge: Rethinking Employment. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Hardcover ISBN 0 8039 7468 X. Paper ISBN 0 8039 7469 8. Parasuraman, S., & Greenhaus, J. H. (Eds.). (1997). Integrating Work and Family: Challenges and Choices for a Changing World. Westport, CT: Quorum Books. Hardcover ISBN 1-56720-038-9. Vannoy, D., & Dubeck, P. J. (Eds.). (1998). Challenges for Work and Family in the Twenty-First Century. New York: Aldine de Gruyter. Hardcover ISBN 0-202-30567-8. Paper ISBN 0-202-30568-6. The past decades have seen major changes in the economy and family life of the United States. Among these changes are increased global economic competition, growth in technological development, an aging population, increased labor force participation of women, and changes in gender roles and family structure. These changes have affected the structure and texture of work and of family life and the ways in which they influence each other. On an individual level the conditions under which performing work and family roles leads to conflict or satisfactions also have changed. As a result of the impact of these changes on work organizations and family life, researchers and practitioners have attempted to understand the nature of the changes, discover their implications for work, families, and individuals, and formulate policies and programs to address associated problems. Several of these examinations are presented in the three edited volumes. The contributors represent corporations, legal firms, government, private research and consulting organizations, and university departments of organizational psychology, sociology, management, social work, family studies, and counseling. As might be expected from such a diverse group, the contributions cover a wide range of issues within the overall subject area of work and family. The topics include several specific corporate policies and programs, e.g., family leave, dependent care, flexible work schedules, part-time work, relocation, pluralistic career paths, telecommuting, and health insurance. Several chapters consider economic changes, gender issues, and work-family policies and programs outside the United States. This diversity of topics exists both within each volume and across volumes. The Parasuraman and Greenhaus volume addresses workfamily issues from the perspective of several stakeholders, namely, corporate management, consultants, counselors, researchers, individual employees, and consumers. Since the Lewis and Lewis volume concentrates on employment and its implications for families, it is the most focused of the three. However, it also gives the most attention to international comparisons. The Vannoy and Dubeck volume covers the broadest range of topics with chapters discussing downsizing, ethnic differences in economic wellbeing, women in management, parental involvement with children, welfare mothers, and children's reading competencies. Despite this diversity, the three books have several commonalities. They share a common goal, namely to encourage the development of solutions to work-family dilemmas experienced by employees, families, and employers. They focus on program and policy issues rather than theory-based empirical research. The authors generally address the work-family interface from the perspective of work and its impact on family life rather than the reverse. More information is provided about how work organizations operate than about family processes or individual wellbeing. The most common theme is the role and impact of corporate policies and programs that address the current conflicts between work and family. The discussions generally are framed within one of three rationales for developing corporate policies or programs (S. Lewis in Lewis & Lewis). The first, and probably most frequently used, rationale is framed in terms of improving the performance of the work organization. …

Economic Well-Being of the Chronically Disabled Elderly: Practice and Policy Implications

The 1982 Long-Term Care Survey (N = 5,670) was used to gain an understanding of predisposing, need, and enabling variables that influence the economic well-being of disabled elderly. Stepwise regression results suggest that a combination of enabling and predisposing factors best explained differences in economic well-being. Implications of the findings for practitioners are discussed within the context of practice and policy for the disabled elderly.

Gender differences in economic well-being among the elderly of java

With populations aging rapidly in many developing nations, issues of economic dependency among the elderly are of increasing importance. Using data from a 1986 survey of the elderly on Java, Indonesia, I describe gender differences in economic well-being and identify characteristics associated with economic disadvantage. At both the individual and the household level, older women have fewer resources than older men. Even within categories of support (work income and remittances), women have lower levels of well-being. Gender differences in household-level economic well-being are due primarily to differences in household structure and in levels of skills. Gender differences in individual receipts (from all sources) are more complicated, but can be understood more clearly with reference to gender differences in skills levels (literacy, language, job skills), current work status and authority, and domestic authority.

Household Composition, Employment Patterns, and Income Inequality: Puerto Ricans in New York and Other Areas of the U.S. Mainland

This study focuses on the impact of household composition, educational attainment, and employment characteristics on household income for Puerto Rican householders in New York and other areas of the United States, frorn 1970 to 1980. New York householders had lower levels of ediucation. in particular fewer college graduates. and lower labor force participation, antd a higher proportion of female-hteaded households. Although average houisehold itncome declined for bothl groups, New York householders had significantly lower inicomes relative to those residing elsewhere. Regression standardization showed that, inl 1980, the average compositional characteristics of New York Puerto Ricans were "less favorable" to /iousehold income. Furthier, they received less inicome for their average characteristics. whleni compared to householders not residing ini New York. It is suggested thtat the deterioratintg ecoinom ic coniditionis of Puerto Ricans is a result of joblessniess anid low-skilled, loi-t-wage jobs amonig those employed. hindustrial restructuring, low levels of educationt, and the dramatic growth of female-headed households also accounts for their depressed economic status and explains some of the differences in economic well-being between New York and non-New York house-hlolders. Further. the problemns of mainland Puerto Ricans have been exacerbated by racial and ethnic discriminationt.

Sex Differences in Economic Well-Being

Despite large structural changes in the economy and major antidiscrimination legislation, the economic well-being of women in comparison with that of men did not improve between 1959 and 1983. The women to men ratio of money income almost doubled, but women had less leisure while men had more, an increase in the proportion of adults not married made more women dependent on their own income, and women's share of financial responsibility for children rose. The net result for women's access to goods, services, and leisure in comparison with that of men ranged from a decrease of 15 percent to an increase of 4 percent, depending on assumptions about income sharing within households.