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Pop digests

PopDigests

PopDigests are short, comprehensive summaries of research results with a link to the original publication (if accessible online). This allows population experts and other interested audiences to be able to easily access information to the latest research results. 

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Living Alone or With Family
How do countries differ in decisions to live alone over the life course? Researchers at the Centre d'Estudis Demogràfics & Universidad Complutense looked at global patterns and trends of those living alone based on sex and age. They found cross-national differences by gender and country-specific trends, and concluded that living alone is related to levels of individualism.

How do countries differ in decisions to live alone over the life course? Researchers at the Centre d'Estudis Demogràfics & Universidad Complutense looked at global patterns and trends of those living alone based on sex and age. They found cross-national differences by gender and country-specific trends, and concluded that living alone is related to levels of individualism.

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Is There Still a Penalty for Having Children?
Muller, Hiekel & Liefbroer investigate whether the "motherhood (earnings) penalty" holds true in the 21st century. Their results show that family trajectories do indeed have long-lasting consequences for women's personal earnings and employment, with women who follow traditional family trajectories facing the highest penalties.

Muller, Hiekel & Liefbroer investigate whether the "motherhood (earnings) penalty" holds true in the 21st century. Their results show that family trajectories do indeed have long-lasting consequences for women's personal earnings and employment, with women who follow traditional family trajectories facing the highest penalties.

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Loneliness in Older Migrants
In the Netherlands, loneliness is more prevalent among Turkish and Moroccan older adults than among older native adults. To investigate possible explanations for this difference, Tilburg & Fokkema used survey data to compare five dimensions of loneliness between native and migrant groups.

In the Netherlands, loneliness is more prevalent among Turkish and Moroccan older adults than among older native adults. To investigate possible explanations for this difference, Tilburg & Fokkema used survey data to compare five dimensions of loneliness between native and migrant groups.

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What Comes First: Marriage or Kids?
In Iceland, 70 per cent of children were conceived outside of marriage in 2018, yet marriage rates remain on par with the OECD average. Jónsson investigates whether the order of life course events, including cohabitation, marriage and childbirth, has changed over the past decades.

In Iceland, 70 per cent of children were conceived outside of marriage in 2018, yet marriage rates remain on par with the OECD average. Jónsson investigates whether the order of life course events, including cohabitation, marriage and childbirth, has changed over the past decades.

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Ongoing Increases to Retirement Age
Boissonneault & colleagues reviewed literature that studied the causes of increases in retirement age over the past 30 years in OECD countries. They found that changes to the social security systems effectively contributed to increases in observed retirement ages.

Boissonneault & colleagues reviewed literature that studied the causes of increases in retirement age over the past 30 years in OECD countries. They found that changes to the social security systems effectively contributed to increases in observed retirement ages.

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Gender (Im)Balance
Binder-Hammer and colleagues analysed gender differences in intergenerational transfers to children and older people across 15 European countries. They found significant gender differences across countries related to time allocated to paid and unpaid work as well as how much men and women benefit from the pension system. These gender differences varied between countries.

Binder-Hammer and colleagues analysed gender differences in intergenerational transfers to children and older people across 15 European countries. They found significant gender differences across countries related to time allocated to paid and unpaid work as well as how much men and women benefit from the pension system. These gender differences varied between countries.

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Negotiating Care Work
Campolo & colleagues used an innovative methodology to investigate the roles of endogeneity of fertility, as well as gender and family attitudes and the bargaining process between partners, in the division of unpaid care work within couples.

Campolo & colleagues used an innovative methodology to investigate the roles of endogeneity of fertility, as well as gender and family attitudes and the bargaining process between partners, in the division of unpaid care work within couples.

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Family Ties
In Sweden, Sara Kalucza (Umeå University and University of Queensland) and colleagues found that teen parents go on to have many different types of families and partnerships in adulthood. For male teen parents, their parents' economic resources were more strongly associated with family formation trajectories, while for women, the family structure in which they grew up seemed to play a stronger role.

In Sweden, Sara Kalucza (Umeå University and University of Queensland) and colleagues found that teen parents go on to have many different types of families and partnerships in adulthood. For male teen parents, their parents' economic resources were more strongly associated with family formation trajectories, while for women, the family structure in which they grew up seemed to play a stronger role.

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Mental Health in Adolescence and Its Role in Family Formation
Miriam Evensen (Norwegian Institute of Public Health) and Torkild Lyngstad (University of Oslo) used population-based data from Norway and found that adolescent males with externalising disorders - such as anxiety and depression - have a lower chance of becoming a parent by age 30 than other men.

Miriam Evensen (Norwegian Institute of Public Health) and Torkild Lyngstad (University of Oslo) used population-based data from Norway and found that adolescent males with externalising disorders - such as anxiety and depression - have a lower chance of becoming a parent by age 30 than other men.

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Improving the Ability to Work Longer Through Flexibility
Anushiya Vanajan (NIDI and University of Groningen) and colleagues used data from the Netherlands to compare the associations between three flexible work arrangements and severe health-related work limitations among older workers. Working time flexibility was associated with fewer health-related work limitations, while work place flexibility and phased retirement were not.

Anushiya Vanajan (NIDI and University of Groningen) and colleagues used data from the Netherlands to compare the associations between three flexible work arrangements and severe health-related work limitations among older workers. Working time flexibility was associated with fewer health-related work limitations, while work place flexibility and phased retirement were not.