Partner Status Research Articles

The prevalence of hypertension and hypertension control among married Namibian couples.

Previous studies suggest that having a marital partner with hypertension is associated with an individual's increased risk of hypertension, however this has not been investigated in sub-Saharan Africa despite hypertension being a common condition; the age-standardised prevalence of hypertension was 46.0% in 2013 in Namibia. To explore whether there is spousal concordance for hypertension and hypertension control in Namibia. Couples data from the 2013 Namibia Demographic and Health Survey were analysed. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to explore the odds of individual's hypertension based on their partner's hypertension status, 492 couples. and the odds of hypertension control in individuals based on their partner's hypertension control (121 couples), where both members had hypertension. Separate models were built for female and male outcomes for both research questions to allow independent consideration of risk factors to be analysed for female and males. The unadjusted odds ratio of 1.57 (CI 1.10-2.24) for hypertension among individuals (both sexes) whose partner had hypertension compared to those whose partner did not have hypertension, was attenuated to aOR 1.35 (CI 0.91-2.00) for females (after adjustment for age, BMI, diabetes, residence, individual and partner education) and aOR 1.42 (CI 0.98-2.07) for males (after adjustment for age and BMI). Females and males were significantly more likely to be in control of their hypertension if their partner also had controlled hypertension, aOR 3.69 (CI 1.23-11.12) and aOR 3.00 (CI 1.07-8.36) respectively. Having a partner with hypertension was positively associated with having hypertension among married Namibian adults, although not statistically significant after adjustment. Partner's hypertension control was significantly associated with individual hypertension control. Couples-focused interventions, such as routine partner screening of hypertensive individuals, could be developed in Namibia.

A Novel Macro Perspective on Family Dynamics: The Contribution of Partnership Contexts of Births to Cohort Fertility Rates

AbstractPartnering behavior is central to understanding fertility. Influential concepts, including singlehood, serial monogamy, and multiple‐partner fertility, are frequently used to analyze partnering and childbearing dynamics. These concepts are evoked to understand individual and population‐level patterns but are mainly analyzed at the individual level. We propose a measure for gauging the interplay between partnerships and childbearing at the population level, namely cohort fertility rates (CFR) as the sum of births under various partnership contexts. Surprisingly, demographers rarely measure and do not have a clear picture of the extent to which childbearing in different partnership contexts contributes to completed fertility. We analyze Finnish register data to decompose CFR into births across union status, union order, and reproductive partner order. Contrary to the discourse of partnering in the Nordics, births within first unions to first reproductive partners account for about two‐thirds of CFR. Births in higher‐order unions to first reproductive partners account for one‐fifth. Single births and births with higher‐order reproductive partners have a modest impact. This ranking holds across sex and educational level. We argue that the proposed measures offer a novel appraisal of population‐level implications of partnerships and childbearing dynamics and provide an opportunity to understand cross‐country variation in fertility patterns.

The contribution of work and health-related lifestyle to educational inequalities in physical health among older workers in Germany. A causal mediation analysis with data from the lidA cohort study.

The objective of the study was to investigate the contribution of work factors and health-related lifestyle to educational inequalities in physical health among older workers in Germany by applying causal mediation analysis with longitudinal data. Data from the German lidA study was used. 2653 persons (53% female, 47% male) aged 46 (born 1965) and 52 (born 1959) at baseline were followed up for seven years with exposure and outcome assessments in 2011 (t0), 2014 (t1) and 2018 (t2). The total effect of education on physical health was decomposed into a natural direct effect (NDE) and a natural indirect effect (NIE) by using a sex-stratified causal mediation analysis with an inverse odds weighting approach. Baseline health, partner status and working hours were entered as a first set of mediators preceding the putative mediators of interest. All analyses were adjusted for age and migrant status. Independent of the first set of mediators, work factors explained 21% of educational inequalities in physical health between low and high educated women and 0% comparing moderate versus high educated women. The addition of health behaviors explained further 26% (low vs. high education) and 20% (moderate vs. high education), respectively. Among men, net of the first set of mediators, work factors explained 5% of educational inequalities in physical health between low and high educated and 6% comparing moderate versus high educated persons. Additional 24% (low vs. high education) and 27% (moderate vs. high education) were explained by adding health behaviors to the models. To reduce educational inequalities in physical health among older workers in Germany, interventions to promote healthy behaviors are promising. Improving working conditions is likely an important prerequisite.

MEASURING THE JOB PRECARIOUSNESS EXPERIENCED BY GOJEK DRIVERS IN INDONESIA

The introduction provides an overview of the rapid growth of digital technology and its impact on various aspects of human life. The rise of the information society and the development of the digital economy, particularly in Indonesia, has led to the emergence of start-ups like Gojek. Gojek, a digital business offering various services, has become a significant player in the Indonesian market, impacting millions of lives and employing many driver-partners. However, the welfare of Gojek drivers has come under scrutiny as studies have highlighted their vulnerabilities. The concept of "precariat," introduced by Guy Standing, is used to describe the vulnerabilities experienced by these digital workers. Precariat workers, such as Gojek drivers, face multiple challenges, including ambiguous work relations, lack of worker rights, and inadequate state support. The methods section explains the research approach used, which is a qualitative descriptive method with a literature review approach. The research framework is based on data collected from various sources to analyze Gojek drivers' vulnerabilities. The results section provides insights into Gojek's profile, industry development in Indonesia, and the vulnerabilities Gojek drivers face. The partnership status of Gojek drivers leads to unequal relationships, extended working hours, and a lack of worker rights, particularly regarding social security benefits. Additionally, conflicts have emerged between Gojek and conventional motorcycle taxis, further highlighting the job insecurity experienced by Gojek drivers.

The Dynamics of Domestic Violence: Learning about the Match

Abstract We present a dynamic lifecycle model of women’s choices with respect to partnership status, labour supply and fertility when they cannot directly observe whether a given male partner is of a violent type or not. The model is estimated by the method of simulated moments using longitudinal data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. The results indicate that uncertainty about a partner’s abusive type creates incentives for women to delay fertility, reduce fertility overall, divorce more often and increase labour supply. We also study the impact of higher female wages, income support to single mothers and subsidised childcare when the mother is working. While higher wages reduce women’s overall exposure to abuse, both income support and subsidised childcare largely fail to do so by encouraging early fertility. The latter two policies instead increase the incidence of abuse towards mothers and hence the abuse exposure for children.

Women achieve equivalent health-related quality of life benefits to men from attending cardiac rehabilitation: a matched case-control study

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): SOLVE-CHD NHMRC Synergy Grant Background/Introduction Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in women globally; and women have worse health outcomes from CHD than men, including poorer health-related quality of life (HRQL). Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation (EBCR) has well-established benefit for patients with CHD in improving HRQL. These benefits have rarely been distinguished separately for women despite known differences to men. Purpose The aim of this study was to compare women and men’s HRQL outcomes after accounting for differences in age, partnership status and diagnosis. Methods A secondary analysis of a larger prospective observational study of CR outcomes using a matched case-control study of women and men. The sample included patients enrolled in four CR programs following admission for CHD (myocardial infarction [MI], percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI] or coronary artery bypass grafting [CABG]). Women were matched to men based on age (within 0-2 years), marital status (single, or partnered), and diagnosis (MI, PCI, or CABG). Sociodemographic data were collected from the participants and clinical information (diagnosis, comorbidities) from the medical record. HRQL was measured using the Short Form-12 Health Survey (SF-12). Results Thirty-seven matched women and men were included in this study at baseline, of whom 27 completed the study (72.9%). There were no significance differences in sociodemographic and clinical characteristics between men and women at baseline. Both women and men improved HRQL substantially from pre-post CR, with no significant differences in change scores in any domain between the sexes despite women having worse scores at baseline in Physical Functioning (mean score 41.59 vs 44.15), Bodily Pain (mean score 47.78 vs 48.71) and overall physical summary score (mean score 44.14 vs 45.29). Women had clinically meaningful improvements in Physical Functioning (MD 6.51, 95% CI 2.59-10.44) and Role Physical (MD 6.42, 95% CI 2.81-10.03), Mental Health (MD 4.35, 95% CI 2.05-6.66) and Bodily Pain (MD 4.97, 95% CI 1.36-8.60) and in the overall physical summary score (MD 5.67, 95% CI 1.98-9.38). Men achieved clinically meaningful improvements in the same domains as women plus Vitality (MD 5.11, 95% CI 0.87-9.36) and Social Function (MD 8.54, 95% CI 3.98-13.09). Conclusion(s) When matched to men for age, partnership status, and diagnosis, women achieve clinically meaningful and equivalent HRQL outcomes following CR. Women significantly improved in overall physical and mental health HRQL, as well as in the majority of HRQL domains. These findings could be used to strengthen advocacy in supporting women with CHD to participate and complete CR programs.

Patterns of patient-reported symptoms and association with sociodemographic and systemic sclerosis disease characteristics: a scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network (SPIN) Cohort cross-sectional study

Systemic sclerosis is a heterogenous disease in which little is known about patterns of patient-reported symptom clusters. We aimed to identify classes of individuals with similar anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and pain symptoms and to evaluate associated sociodemographic and disease-related characteristics. This multi-centre cross-sectional study used baseline data from Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network Cohort participants enrolled from 2014 to 2020. Eligible participants completed the PROMIS-29 v2.0 measure. Latent profile analysis was used to identify homogeneous classes of participants based on patterns of anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and pain scores. Sociodemographic and disease-related characteristics were compared across classes. Among 2212 participants, we identified five classes, including four classes with "Low" (565 participants, 26%), "Normal" (651 participants, 29%), "High" (569 participants, 26%), or "Very High" (193 participants, 9%) symptom levels across all symptoms. Participants in a fifth class, "High Fatigue/Sleep/Pain and Low Anxiety/Depression" (234 participants, 11%) had similar levels of fatigue, sleep disturbance, and pain as in the "High" class but low anxiety and depression symptoms. There were significant and substantive trends in sociodemographic characteristics (age, education, race or ethnicity, marital or partner status) and increasing disease severity (diffuse disease, tendon friction rubs, joint contractures, gastrointestinal symptoms) across severity-based classes. Disease severity and sociodemographic characteristics of "High Fatigue/Sleep/Pain and Low Anxiety/Depression" class participants were similar to the "High" severity class. Most people with systemic sclerosis can be classified by levels of patient-reported symptoms, which are consistent across symptoms and highly associated with sociodemographic and disease-related variables, except for one group which reports low mental health symptoms despite high levels of other symptoms and substantial disease burden. Studies are needed to better understand resilience in systemic sclerosis and to identify and facilitate implementation of cognitive and behavioural strategies to improve coping and overall quality of life. National Institute of Nursing Research (F31NR019007), Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Arthritis Society Canada, the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, the Jewish General Hospital Foundation, McGill University, Scleroderma Society of Ontario, Scleroderma Canada, Sclérodermie Québec, Scleroderma Manitoba, Scleroderma Atlantic, Scleroderma Association of BC, Scleroderma SASK, Scleroderma Australia, Scleroderma New South Wales, Scleroderma Victoria, and Scleroderma Queensland.

Parental smoking in the first two years of a child's life and its associations with breastfeeding.

Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months followed by ongoing breastfeeding to 12 months and beyond is associated with multiple benefits for both mother and child. Maternal smoking is associated with a reduction in breastfeeding. Little is known about the effect of partner smoking on breastfeeding. This study explores the smoking behaviour of mothers and their partners in the first two years of a child's life and its associations with breastfeeding practice. We performed a secondary data analysis using survey data on 1155 mothers from their third trimester of pregnancy and at six, 12 and 24 months after delivery. Survey questions included smoking status of both mother and partner and breastfeeding intention and practice. Logistic regression models were conducted at each time point. Where the mother or both parents smoke, babies were less likely to be breastfed at six months of age (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.29, 95% CI: 0.13-0.66) compared with families where neither parent smoked. Non-smoking mothers with smoking partners were less likely to intend to breastfeed (aOR 0.29, 95% CI: 0.11-0.82) and their babies were less likely to be breastfed at six and 12 months of age (aOR 0.64, 95% CI: 0.42-0.98 and 0.64, 95% CI: 0.43-0.95 respectively). There was no difference in breastfeeding behaviour between smoking and non-smoking parents at 24 months. Smoking parents are less likely to breastfeed their babies at ages six and 12 months. Breastfeeding promotion should target both smoking mothers and smoking partners.

Research note: The educational gradient of divorce in the Czech Republic during the late post-socialist transition

Objective: This study aims to describe the educational gradient and the role of educational homogamy in divorce risk in the Czech Republic. Background: The Czech Republic underwent a social transformation in the 1990s, which resulted in a significant change in many demographic trends. In contrast, the divorce trend seems to have been less affected. My aim is to describe the evolution of the patterns of the educational gradient of divorce during the late phase of the post-communist transformation. Method: Register data on marriages contracted in 1995, 2000, and 2005 were supplemented with divorce register records up to 2020. Besides the duration of the marriage, the data contains information on the education, age, and marital status of both partners at the time of marriage. The Kaplan-Meier curves and the Cox regression are used for the analysis. Results: The risk of divorce is substantially higher for the less educated, and this holds across all three marriage cohorts observed here. Homogamous marriages are not the most stable ones. From an individual's perspective, marriage with a more educated partner shows the highest stability. Conclusion: This analysis confirmed the stability of the negative educational gradient of marriages contracted during the late phase of the post-communist transition period in the Czech Republic. It refutes the notion that the higher relative education of the woman or man in the couple destabilises partnerships.

Inanspruchnahme zahnmedizinischer Versorgung von Erwachsenen mit und ohne Beeinträchtigungen und Behinderungen – Ergebnisse der Studie GEDA 2014/2015-EHIS

ZusammenfassungHintergrundBeeinträchtigungen und Behinderungen können sich nachteilig auf die Mundgesundheit auswirken. Studien zur Mundgesundheit von Menschen mit Beeinträchtigungen und Behinderungen gibt es jedoch nur wenige. Dieser Beitrag untersucht die 12-Monats-Prävalenz der Inanspruchnahme zahnmedizinischer Versorgung von Erwachsenen mit und ohne Beeinträchtigungen und Behinderungen in Deutschland.MethodenDie Analysen basieren auf Daten von 23.372 Personen ab 18 Jahren mit ständigem Wohnsitz in Deutschland der Studie GEDA 2014/2015-EHIS. Die Teilnehmenden wurden gefragt, wann sie zuletzt bei einem Zahnarzt, Kieferorthopäden oder einem anderen zahnmedizinischen Spezialisten waren, um sich selbst beraten, untersuchen oder behandeln zu lassen – „vor weniger als 6 Monaten“, „vor 6 bis weniger als 12 Monaten“, „vor 12 Monaten oder länger“ oder „nie“. Für die Analysen wurden die ersten und letzten beiden Antwortoptionen zusammengefasst, um die 12-Monats-Prävalenz der Inanspruchnahme zahnmedizinischer Leistungen zu erhalten.ErgebnisseErwachsene mit Beeinträchtigungen und Behinderungen haben im Jahr vor der Befragung etwas häufiger keine zahnmedizinische Praxis aufgesucht als Erwachsene ohne Beeinträchtigungen und Behinderungen (21,5 % vs. 18,4 %; p = 0,002). Der Zusammenhang zwischen dem Vorliegen von Beeinträchtigungen und Behinderungen und einer geringeren Inanspruchnahme zahnmedizinischer Versorgung blieb aber nach Kontrolle für Alter, Geschlecht, Partnerschaft und sozioökonomischen Status nicht bestehen.DiskussionEs zeigen sich kaum Unterschiede in der Inanspruchnahme zahnmedizinischer Leistungen zwischen Personen mit und ohne Beeinträchtigungen und Behinderungen. Dennoch ist aufgrund ihrer im Mittel schlechteren Mundgesundheit zu überlegen, wie die zahnmedizinische Versorgung dieser sehr heterogenen Gruppe weiter verbessert werden kann. Die Auswertungen zeigen Versorgungsbedarfe und Präventionspotenziale auf.

Factors Associated with Modern Contraceptive Use Among Out of School Adolescent Girls in Majengo and Njoro Wards of Moshi Municipality, Tanzania.

Low uptake of modern contraceptives among adolescents remains a serious public health concern with over 20 million adolescents in need of modern contraceptives are not using any. In Tanzania where the adolescent fertility rate is 112 per 1000, only 15.2% of adolescents are using modern contraceptives. Contraceptive use stands out to be one of the key interventions to reduce the burden of adolescent pregnancy which is high in the country at 22%. There is little information on factors associated with modern contraceptive use among out of school adolescents, who are at an increased risk of adolescent pregnancies. To determine the prevalence and factors associated with modern contraceptive use among out of school adolescent girls in Moshi municipality, Kilimanjaro region. This was a population based cross-sectional study, conducted in Moshi municipality in Kilimanjaro region 2 wards; Majengo and Njoro. The wards were randomly selected out of the 21 wards in the region. Household survey was conducted in the wards and adolescents aged 10 to 19 years who were out of school and consented and or assented to participate in the study were recruited. Data was collected using Kobo Collect TM on an Android device. Data was analysed using SPSS version 20. To determine the factors associated with modern contraceptive use, crude and adjusted analysis using logistic regression analysis was done. A total of 298 out-of-school adolescents were enrolled, with a median age of 19 (IQR 17-19) years. The prevalence of ever use of modern contraceptives among 154 sexually active adolescents was 51%, and 35% were current users of the methods. Two of common methods ever used were; injectables (27.3%) and male condoms (3.2%) respectively. Factors independently associated with ever use of modern contraceptives were; being married or cohabiting (aOR: 5.7) and having 2 or more sexual partners in the past 12 months (aOR: 5.9). Ever and current use of modern contraceptives among out-of-school adolescents were reported at 51% and 35% respectively. Respondent's marital status and number of sexual partners was associated with ever use of modern methods. Strengthening of adolescent-friendly SRH services outside facility setting is needed given very few are currently using a modern method. Further, through inter-sectoral collaboration interventions to keep adolescent girls at school should be strengthened.

The Influence of Partnership Status on Fertility Intentions of Childless Women and Men Across European Countries

The absence of a suitable partner is the most frequently given reason for unmet fertility intentions across European countries while having a partner is positively associated with the intention to have a child. However, once this relationship is framed within a life-course approach, existing evidence is mixed and inconclusive. The norm to have children within a stable relationship and norms regarding the timing of childbirth are acknowledged in many contemporary societies. Therefore, the presence of a partner might have a stronger effect on fertility intentions around the social deadline for fertility, which could explain the mixed findings in previous research. This article analyses how fertility intentions are influenced by partnership status and how this relationship varies by age and across countries. We use data from the first wave of the Generations and Gender Survey to analyse a sample of childless men and women aged 18–45 years from 12 European countries. We implement logistic regression models to investigate the influence of having a partner on fertility intentions during the life course. Previous studies found that the positive influence of having a partner either decreases across the life course or does not vary significantly. This study reveals that the positive association between partnership and fertility intentions increases from the age of 18, proving that whether someone is in a partnership becomes more influential at later stages in life. After a certain age threshold, which varies across countries and gender, this positive association either turns insignificant, remains positive, or reverses.

Role of male partner in women's fertility decision and family planning utilization in four regional states of Ethiopia: A mixed-method study.

To determine the role of male partner involvement in fertility decision-making and intention to use contraceptives by women in four regional states of Ethiopia. A mixed-method quantitative-qualitative cross-sectional study was conducted among 2891 women of reproductive age in four emerging regions (Benishangul-Gumuz, Gambela, Afar, and Somali) of Ethiopia. Key informant interview, in-depth interview, and focus group discussion were performed for qualitative data extraction. Simple descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative data, and frequency, means, and proportions were used to present the results. Qualitative data were analyzed. Approximately half of the women (1519/2891, 52.5%) discussed contraceptive methods with their partners. Most women did not have the freedom to make independent decisions on fertility preference, with the highest being in the Afar region (376/643, 58.5%). In all regions, the male partner was the dominant decision-maker behind the intention to start using or continue using family planning methods by the woman. Better educational status of male partners and a good attitude towards use of family planning by the woman were associated with contraceptive use by the women. Male partners play a predominant role in fertility preferences and decisions on family planning use by women.

Changes in Solo and Partnered Sexual Behaviors following the First COVID-19 Wave: Data from an International Study of 26 Countries

Objective: To determine individual- and country-level factors associated with self-reported changes in solo and partnered sexual behaviors in an international sample of adults during COVID-19. Methods: Data were from the International Sexual Health And REproductive Health during COVID-19 study (I-SHARE)—a cross-sectional, multi-country study (N = 26 countries) assessing adult (N = 19,654) sexual/reproductive health before and during the first wave of COVID-19. We examined self-reported changes (three-point scale: decreased, no change, increased) in solo masturbation, hugging/holding hands/cuddling with a partner, sex with a primary partner, sex with a casual partner, sexting with a partner, viewing sexually explicit media and partnered cybersex. Ordinal regression assessed the impact of individual (age, gender- and sexual-identity, romantic partnership status, employment and income stability, household change and content, mental well-being, changes in alcohol use, and changes in marijuana use) and country-level (e.g., Oxford Stringency Index, Human Development Index, and the Palma Ratio) factors on behavior change. Results: The most common behavior to increase was hugging, kissing, or cuddling with a partner (21.5%), and the most common behavior to decrease was sex with a main partner (36.7%). Household factors like job/income instability and having children over the age of 12 years were significantly associated with decreased affectionate and sexual partnered sexual behaviors; more frequent substance use was linked to significantly increased solo, partnered, and virtual sexual behaviors. Conclusions: Understanding changes in sexual behaviors—as well as the factors that make changes more or less likely among adults around the world—are important to ensure adequate sexual health support development for future public health emergencies.

Older adults’ medical preferences for the end of life: a cross-sectional population-based survey in Switzerland

ObjectivesMedical decision-making at the end of life is common and should be as patient-centred as possible. Our study investigates older adults’ preferences towards three medical treatments that are frequently included...

Development and validation of a prediction tool to support engagement in HIV care among young people ages 10-24 years in Kenya.

Loss to follow-up (LTFU) among adolescents and young adults living with HIV (AYALWH) is a barrier to optimal health and HIV services. We developed and validated a clinical prediction tool to identify AYALWH at risk of LTFU. We used electronic medical records (EMR) of AYALWH ages 10 to 24 in HIV care at 6 facilities in Kenya and surveys from a subset of participants. Early LTFU was defined as >30 days late for a scheduled visit in the last 6 months, which accounts for clients with multi-month refills. We developed a tool combining surveys with EMR ('survey-plus-EMR tool'), and an 'EMR-alone' tool to predict high, medium, and low risk of LTFU. The survey-plus-EMR tool included candidate sociodemographics, partnership status, mental health, peer support, any unmet clinic needs, WHO stage, and time in care variables for tool development, while the EMR-alone included clinical and time in care variables only. Tools were developed in a 50% random sample of the data and internally validated using 10-fold cross-validation of the full sample. Tool performance was evaluated using Hazard Ratios (HR), 95% Confidence Intervals (CI), and area under the curve (AUC) ≥ 0.7 for good performance and ≥0.60 for modest performance. Data from 865 AYALWH were included in the survey-plus-EMR tool and early LTFU was (19.2%, 166/865). The survey-plus-EMR tool ranged from 0 to 4, including PHQ-9 ≥5, lack of peer support group attendance, and any unmet clinical need. High (3 or 4) and medium (2) prediction scores were associated with greater risk of LTFU (high, 29.0%, HR 2.16, 95%CI: 1.25-3.73; medium, 21.4%, HR 1.52, 95%CI: 0.93-2.49, global p-value = 0.02) in the validation dataset. The 10-fold cross validation AUC was 0.66 (95%CI: 0.63-0.72). Data from 2,696 AYALWH were included in the EMR-alone tool and early LTFU was 28.6% (770/2,696). In the validation dataset, high (score = 2, LTFU = 38.5%, HR 2.40, 95%CI: 1.17-4.96) and medium scores (1, 29.6%, HR 1.65, 95%CI: 1.00-2.72) predicted significantly higher LTFU than low-risk scores (0, 22.0%, global p-value = 0.03). Ten-fold cross-validation AUC was 0.61 (95%CI: 0.59-0.64). Clinical prediction of LTFU was modest using the surveys-plus-EMR tool and the EMR-alone tool, suggesting limited use in routine care. However, findings may inform future prediction tools and intervention targets to reduce LTFU among AYALWH.

Relationship satisfaction and money pooling among older working and retired couples in Sweden

AbstractObjectiveThis study explores whether relationship satisfaction among older individuals living with a partner is influenced by partners' status of working or being retired, and whether the degree of pooling money affects the association.BackgroundCouple's spending decisions are likely influenced by the partner with the greatest bargaining power, which may lead to different levels of relationship satisfaction. However, any role of partners' statuses on relationship satisfaction may change when adjusting for how partners organize resources.MethodThe subsample consists of older respondents in the Swedish Gender and Generations Survey 2012–2013 (n = 1,737). The analytical approach is logistic regression where the outcome is whether the respondents are completely or not completely satisfied with their relationship.ResultsWorking respondents with a working partner were less satisfied with their relationship compared to retired respondents with a retired partner. In models considering the gender of whom is retired or working, respondents in couples with a working woman and a retired man were also less satisfied than retired respondents with a retired partner. However, this association disappears when adjusting for degree of pooling.ConclusionIn couples where the woman retires earlier than the man, it can have a negative impact on relationship satisfaction when the partners do not pool money. For couples with the same status, pooling seems to matter less.ImplicationsFinancial educators, practitioners, and policymakers may acknowledge that retirement and working status of older partners play a role for relationship satisfaction, and how partners organize resources may be one area that provides a potential explanation for such problems.

Do grandparents really matter? The effect of regular grandparental childcare on the second-birth transition

Abstract In the last five decades, almost all European countries have experienced a decline in actual fertility, but not in desired fertility. The incompatibility of motherhood and paid work has been identified as one of the main drivers of women’s unrealized fertility desires. Regular grandparental childcare might reduce mothers’ work–family conflicts, increasing their chances of having a second birth. An extensive literature has estimated the role of grandparenting in adult children’s fertility. However, less attention has been devoted to the direct role of regular grandparental childcare, which is among the main resources in women’s reconciliation strategies. This article contributes to this debate by estimating the causal effect of regular grandparental childcare on women’s chances of having a second child. Using data from the first five waves of the Millennium Cohort Study, I implement an instrumental variable approach. I observe a strong and positive effect of regular grandparental childcare on women’s likelihood of having a second birth. This effect remains strong and positive net of women’s partnership status and income and educational levels. These results highlight the importance of the affordability and the availability of childcare for the decision to have a second child and the need for more supportive childcare policies.

Is There a Gender Gap in Support for Distributive Principles in Old Age Pension Schemes?

ABSTRACT A number of studies have identified a gender gap in social attitudes, but few have studied the phenomenon in the context of old age pension schemes. Using data from a 2019 Norwegian survey, we examined patterns of support for three distribution principles in pensions (anti-poverty, merit, and equality). Compared to men, women are more supportive of the anti-poverty and equality principles, and less supportive of the merit principle. The gender difference for the anti-poverty principle persists in multivariate analyses, but disappears for the merit and equality principles when we control for socioeconomic factors, particularly income. Analyzing men and women separately revealed that partnership status and health interact with gender. Income however appears to affect men and women equally; high-income women are as likely as high-income men to support the principle of merit and reject the principle of equality.

Older adults' support from children and loneliness: Roles of social media and partnership status

AbstractThe present study examined the association between positive social support from children and loneliness for older adults and whether social media communication with children moderated this association. We additionally considered the role that partnership status plays in these associations. A structural equation modeling (SEM) framework was used to conduct path modeling and multi‐group modeling on a nationally representative sample of 5480 adult respondents aged 55 and over residing in the United States, using data from the Health and Retirement Study. We found a negative association between positive social support from children and loneliness; this association did not differ based on partnership status. The negative association between lower positive social support from children and loneliness was weakened by higher levels of communication with children through social media, but only for widows. This was stronger for widows who communicated with their children via social media at higher levels. The present study shows how social interactions may differ depending on partnership status. Additionally, this study underscores the role of relationship types (children) in social network structure, and how family roles may differ depending upon partnership status.