Household , Income And Labour Dynamics In Australia Research Articles

Predictors of male loneliness across life stages: an Australian study of longitudinal data

BackgroundDespite growing recognition of loneliness as a global public health concern, research on its occurrence and precipitants among men across different life stages remains limited and inconclusive. This study aims to address this gap by investigating the prevalence and predictors of loneliness among a large, representative data set of Australian adult men.MethodsThe study used longitudinal data from waves 2–21 of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, including men aged 15–98. Estimating linear fixed effects regressions that account for unobserved time-invariant individual heterogeneity, a single-item measure of loneliness was regressed on a set of selected explanatory variables over different parts of the life course.ResultsIncreased social isolation, romantic partnership dissolution, having a long-term disability, and stronger beliefs that the man, rather than the woman, should be the breadwinner of the household, are associated with greater loneliness. Frequent social connection, having a romantic partner, and high neighbourhood satisfaction are protective against loneliness. The findings also reveal several differences in the predictors of loneliness over the life course. Job security is especially important for younger men, whereas for older men volunteering and less conservative gender role attitudes are important factors that can decrease loneliness.ConclusionsThe results emphasise the need to consider age-specific factors and societal expectations in understanding and addressing loneliness amongst men. Additionally, the findings underscore the importance of raising awareness about the impact of societal norms and expectations on men's mental health. The results offer valuable insights for policymakers, healthcare providers, and researchers to develop effective strategies and support systems to combat loneliness and promote well-being among men.

From disastrous heat waves to extreme rains: Effects of weather shocks on entrepreneurship

Using household panel data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey and satellite re-analysis temperature and rainfall data, we present the first study to examine the impact of weather shocks on entrepreneurship. We measure temperature and rainfall shocks at the postcode level, and find that an increase in weather shocks in the previous period is associated with a decline in the probability of self-employment in the next period. We find suggestive evidence that health, cognitive functioning and economic activity are mechanisms through which temperature shocks transmit to entrepreneurship. The key insight of this study is that it is less likely that those directly affected by climate events will act entrepreneurially, at least in the short run.

Trajectories of job insecurity and the probability of poorer mental health among prime working-age Australian women and men

Precarious and insecure employment arrangements are important social determinants of health. Prior evidence has consistently found perceived job insecurity to be associated with poorer mental health. Nonetheless, several key under-researched areas remain in the existing evidence base. This study addresses some of these gaps by examining trajectories of job (in)security and assessing the effect of various persistent job security trajectories on subsequent mental health of both men and women. Utilising 15 waves of data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, we employed group-based trajectory modelling (GBTM) to identify trajectories of job (in)security through men and women's prime working years (from baseline age of 28–38yrs to 41–51yrs) across 14 years (waves 5–18), before subsequently examining the associations between these estimated trajectories and mental health at wave 19 (aged 42–52yrs). We identified four distinct trajectories of job (in)security for both men and women: persistently secure, becoming more secure, becoming less secure, and persistently insecure. Examining the association between these trajectories and mental health, we found that chronic exposure to any amount of persistent job insecurity (improving, worsening or persistently insecure) is detrimental to the mental health of both men and women. Furthermore, a somewhat incremental or dose dependant effect was found, with persistent job insecurity associated with the largest declines in mental health scores. Given mental health disorders are a substantial cause of disability globally, our study provides evidence that developing policy and practice interventions to reduce job insecurity (as an increasingly recognised and highly modifiable social determinant of mental health) has considerable potential to enact positive population health improvements.

Non-standard employment and underemployment at labor market entry and their impact on later wage trajectories

Using data from the Australian Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey (2001–2020), we examine how combined patterns of non-standard employment and underemployment in the early career shape later wage trajectories, paying careful attention to gender differences on a representative sample of Australian young men ( N = 470) and women ( N = 497). By combining multichannel sequence analysis and random effects panel models, we make three central findings. First, we identify seven distinct early employment trajectories, with the “standard” career, characterized by stable, full-time permanent jobs in the first 5 years post-education, being the most prevalent. Second, we find that combined patterns of non-standard employment and underemployment during early careers are associated with significant wage penalties. However, these wage penalties diminish within 10 years. Third, enduring and widening wage disparities are found only among youth primarily unemployed or inactive early in their careers. These penalties are particularly pronounced among men, underscoring the influence of the “ideal” worker norm. Overall, integrating underemployed jobseekers into the workforce and addressing gender-based biases should be a priority for policymakers to ensure equal opportunities and fair treatment for all workers in the labor market.

A Comment on the Financial Literacy, Financial Risks and Financial Challenges Facing Older Australians

AbstractDrawing on data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey and from qualitative data from in‐depth interviews with older Australians in mixed sex couple households, this article highlights the risks and vulnerabilities that older Australians face in saving for retirement and, importantly, in drawing down assets in retirement. The article also provides data on financial literacy and risk‐taking among older Australians.

Co‐contribution Opportunities for Superannuation Funds and Policy‐Makers

AbstractThis article explores enhancement opportunities for Australian Government co‐contributions to superannuation accounts. The article's empirical foundation includes the distributions for variables related to saving, investment and risk perceptions in the 2022 wave of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. As income or wealth increase, there are increases in the probabilities of individuals making additional superannuation contributions, having a saving horizon of at least five years, and being prepared to take more than average investment risks. Four policy changes are suggested in the article, with the potential for superannuation funds to independently implement some of these changes.

Socioeconomic mental health disparities and income mobility in Australia: A longitudinal factor decomposition analysis

In recent years mental health disparity has been rising in Australia. The contributing factors to this rising disparity are not well understood. We investigated this by measuring and decomposing socioeconomic mental health inequality in Australia using the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) panel survey datasets between 2009 and 2017 employing the longitudinal factor decomposition method. In this research, we decompose the Income-Related Health Mobility (IRHM) and the Health-Related Income Mobility (HRIM) index. The IRHM index reflects the effect of the relationship between relative health changes at a constant income level, and the HRIM index represents changes in income ranking or income mobility with a fixed health outcome over time. Our findings suggest that poorer individuals cannot procure private health insurance, experience more long-term health conditions and have larger exposure to life shocks than richer individuals. Thus, long-term health conditions, private health insurance coverage, and number of life disruptions are the primary factors that negatively impact the IRHM index, thereby contributing to an increase in socioeconomic inequality in mental health in Australia. Moreover, the HRIM index exhibits a more pronounced adverse impact from labour force status compared to the relatively weaker positive effects observed in the IRHM index, resulting in a net negative effect from labour force status in this period. To address this, Australian governments should focus on implementing cost-effective intervention policies targeting disadvantaged populations to maximise health system resources and minimise mental health disparity by addressing the socioeconomic determinants of mental health.

Effects of temperature on job insecurity: Evidence from Australia

This study examines the relationship between temperature fluctuations and job insecurity in Australia, a country increasingly experiencing the impacts of climate change. Utilising data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey combined with satellite-based temperature data, we assess the influence of temperature deviations on perceptions of job insecurity. Our analysis reveals that higher temperatures are significantly associated with increased job insecurity. This effect is more pronounced in specific states such as New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia. Mechanism analysis identifies mental health deterioration and energy poverty as key mediators in this relationship, explaining how environmental stressors translate into employment-related anxieties. Our study’s findings highlight the need for interventions that address both the direct and indirect impacts of climate change on the labour market.

Food insecurity: Discrepancy within Australian couple households

AbstractFood security remains a global public health priority but there may be bias in the prevalence of household food insecurity, depending upon who answers the questions. Using a cross‐section from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, we analysed components of food insecurity reported separately by both partners in 718 households, allowing examination of discrepancies among couples. We modelled discrepancy in reports of food insecurity on 8 items using binary logit models for each question and a binomial regression for the number of questions on which there was discrepancy. Among couples who differed on an item, (conditional) discrepancy rates ranged from 71.75% to 85.86%. Females were more likely than males to report food insecurity on most items. Key characteristics associated with discrepancy were female's and male's age, female's education, being born in Australia, renting and male's employment. Male's age and birthplace were associated with discrepancy on more items while male's higher education and being a homeowner were associated with discrepancy on fewer items. Among couples who differed in responses, females were more likely to report food insecurity if they were older or had a disability, if their male partner was younger or had no disability, or if either person had more education than high school. The prevalence of food insecurity among couple households may be underestimated by 7.4 percentage points due to discrepancies in reporting. Discrepancies can reduce the accuracy of measures of food insecurity, impeding the targeting of responses, and lead to a less efficient allocation of resources to combat food insecurity.

Informal care and financial stress: Longitudinal evidence from Australia.

The number of people providing informal care has increased considerably in the last years while, at the same time, about one in four Australians have financial stress problems. This study uses rich longitudinal data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey to estimate the effect of informal care on financial stress. To establish causality, we exploit a fixed effect-instrumental variable approach to address omitted variable bias and reverse causality problems. Our findings show that informal caregiving increases financial stress between 9.9 and 14.5 percentage points. This finding is robust across a battery of quasi-experimental methods. The effect of informal caregiving on financial stress is more pronounced among males, rural residents and those living in low socioeconomic areas. Our analyses further show that financial fragility and social isolation are important channels through which informal caregiving affects financial stress.

Social contacts, neighborhoods and individual unemployment risk

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to empirically investigate whether social contacts can mediate the way in which current unemployment impacts future unemployment.Design/methodology/approachWe use 2006–2017 data from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey and a dynamic random-effects model to describe the evolution of individual unemployment status over time.FindingsOnce controlled for the local context where individuals live and create friendships, we find that above-average social contacts reduce unemployment persistence. However, social contacts seem to be slightly less effective in deprived neighborhoods. These findings are consistent with the idea that individuals obtain information about job opportunities through a network of social contacts, and unemployment may lead to a decay of social capital, making it more difficult to find employment in future periods. Our results also show that neighborhood deprivation increases individual unemployment risk, while above-average neighborhood cohesion reduces the probability of unemployment in deprived neighborhoods.Originality/valueAlthough many studies have been published on unemployment persistence, to the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first study quantifying the impact of social contacts on unemployment persistence. The study also offers fresh empirical evidence on the impact of neighborhood characteristics on unemployment risk.

Associations of nuptiality perceptions, financial difficulties, and socio-demographic factors with mental health status in Australian adults: Analysis of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey.

This study examined the association of nuptial/relationship factors, financial difficulties, and socio-demographic factors with the mental health status of Australian adults. Cross-sectional quantitative study design. Using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey wave 19, 6846 adults were included in the analysis. Mental health was measured using the mental component summary (MCS) subscale of the Short-Form Health Survey SF-36. Hierarchical multiple linear regressions were used to examine the predictors of mental health status. Overall, 7.1% of the participants reported poor mental health status. Individual financial difficulty factors explained 3.2% (p<0.001) of the variance in mental health scores. In addition, financial difficulties were negatively associated with mental health status. Nuptiality and relationship factors accounted for 9.8% (p<0.001) of the variance in mental health status. The study suggests negative marital or relationship perceptions and financial difficulties are significant factors accounting for poor mental health. This finding suggests the need for more policy attention toward the social determinants of poor mental health especially nuptiality or relationship perceptions which have received less policy and research attention in Australia.

Data Resource Profile: Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey.

Data Resource Profile: Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey.

When Does the Gender Gap in Financial Literacy Begin?*

Research to date has failed to generate a comprehensive understanding of the source of the gender gap in financial literacy in adulthood. Using microdata from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey and an analysis covering four age groups (15–19, 20–24, 25–29 and 30–34), this paper suggests that the gender gap starts young and well before individuals enter adulthood. The analysis also suggests that that raw (unadjusted) gender gap likely underestimates the underlying gap. It is important to establish whether the gap begins before or after children enter school, since policy aimed at addressing it would be very different.

The effect of informal caring on mental health among adolescents and young adults in Australia: a population-based longitudinal study

Young carers are people aged up to 25 years who provide unpaid care to a relative or a friend living with a long-term condition or a disability. Providing informal care is associated with poor mental health. Longitudinal evidence on this relationship among young people is scarce. To address this gap, we assessed the mental health of people aged 15-25 years when providing informal care compared with when not providing informal care. We conducted a population-based longitudinal study using 20 years of data between 2001 and 2020 from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. We included observations of participants aged 15-25 years with at least two observations across 20 waves of HILDA. Informal care was categorised as 0 h per week, 1-19 h per week, and 20 or more h per week. Mental health was measured using the Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5) from the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36). Multivariate linear fixed-effects regression models were fitted to assess within-person changes in mental health when providing different levels of informal care. Of 44 663 people with 410 658 observations who participated in HILDA waves 1 to 20, 32 726 were excluded with 351 445 observations. 11 937 young people (with 59 213 observations) were deemed eligible for this study and, of these, 8996 participants with 43 231 observations were included in the complete case analytical sample. When caring for 1-19 h per week, young carers had an MHI-5 score of -1·98 points (95% CI -3·06 to -0·89) compared with when caring for 0 h per week. Mental health was worse when caring for 20 or more h per week, with participants displaying an MHI-5 score of -3·47 points (95% CI -6·02 to -0·92) compared with when caring for 0 h per week. Our findings were consistent across sensitivity tests. Our findings suggest potential mental health effects of informal care in young people, particularly when providing an intense amount of caregiving. Reducing young caring loads could be a possible avenue for intervention. Melbourne Disability Institute Scholarship, University of Melbourne Research Training Program Scholarship, Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award, National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia funded Centre of Research Excellence in Disability and Health.

The effect of dwelling-based and neighbourhood-based precariousness on mental wellbeing

This study examines the impacts of dwelling-based and neighbourhood-based precariousness on mental wellbeing by applying panel data modelling approaches to the 2001–2020 Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. We find that living in unaffordable housing has the largest adverse effects on mental wellbeing among all forms of dwelling-based precariousness modelled in the study. Neighbourhood hostility and neighbourhood crime are key forms of neighbourhood-based precariousness that depress mental wellbeing. On the other hand, some forms of housing precariousness have insignificant impacts on wellbeing, in particular overcrowding and vandalism. Notwithstanding the importance of neighbourhood aspects, overall dwelling-based precariousness has a larger detrimental impact on mental wellbeing than neighbourhood-based precariousness. We test the robustness of linear models by implementing Tobit models that take into account the bounded nature of wellbeing measures that are ignored in linear models. We find that both models produce similar findings. The analysis in this study leads to important policy implications in a world that is increasingly exposed to public health crises. Importantly, the findings point to an urgency for policies and programs to be embedded within housing systems that ensure vulnerable population groups have long-term rather than temporary access to secure housing.

Redefining Parent's Unpaid Labour: Distinguishing Errands from Housework for Targeted Mental Health Policy

AbstractStudies of the association between unpaid housework and wellbeing, especially for parents, has produced either negative or inconclusive results in previous studies. One potential oversight is that ‘housework’ often includes activities with a counteracting effect on mental health. By employing the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) data set that differentiates ‘housework’ from more routine tasks included in the ‘errands’ variable I illustrate the difference in the pattern of how these variables are linked to parents' mental health. By identifying specific groups of unpaid tasks that are most detrimental to mental health, policymakers can prioritise these areas, ensuring that negative associations are not wrongly attributed to all housework activities.

Gender Gaps in Unpaid Domestic and Care Work: Putting The Pandemic in (a Life Course) Perspective

AbstractOur paper examines  trends in gender inequalities in unpaid domestic and care work over the short‐ and long‐term in Australia, including assessing the impact of the COVID‐19 lockdowns. We use the concept of time—historical, biographical and transitional—as a framework for our analyses. Drawing on data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, we find wide and continuing gender gaps in unpaid work over the past two decades. We demonstrate that parenthood is a far greater producer and exacerbator of gender inequalities in unpaid domestic and care work than COVID‐19 lockdowns.

Parental co-residence and young adults' mental health.

The growing trend towards young adults staying in the parental home has garnered much recent scholarly interest. However, less is known about which young adults are living at home, and the impacts this has over young adults' lives. Using The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) dataset, this study examines the profiles of co-residing young adults and how these have changed over the first two decades of the 21st century. It then analyses the associations between co-residence and young adults' mental health, applying a propensity score modelling approach to determine differences in mental health between young adults living at home and their counterparts living independently. Results indicate that rates of co-residence have increased over the 2000s, most steeply amongst those residing outside of major cities (by 46%), older adults (by 36%), females (by 28%), and low-income groups (by 10%). Findings show a significant negative association between co-residence and mental health (a 4-point difference on the 100-point scale, 95% CI -5.93, -2.14). However, the greatest differential in mental health between co-resident and independent young adults is observed amongst those for whom rates of co-residence have increased most dramatically, i.e., females and older adults (a 6-point difference in mental health) and residents of regional and rural areas (a 5-point difference in mental health). We situate this discussion in the context of intensifying housing market constraints, considering how the transformation of the Australian housing system into a vehicle for wealth accumulation has generated barriers to residential independence.

Division of Household Labour and Fertility Outcomes Among Dual‐Income Australian Couples

AbstractGender revolution theories of fertility posit that when employed women have extensive child care and household responsibilities, they opt to reduce family size. This study examines how household gender inequality influences decisions to have children. Several possible mediators, including wellbeing, relationship quality, and changes in desired family size, are examined. Results from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey show that household inequality reduces the likelihood of third births when both parents work full‐time. This is mediated by relationship satisfaction: when men contribute more to household labour, their partners are more satisfied, which is associated with increased fertility.