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. 

Policy-Relevant Demography Is Not Restricted to Humans Only

Policy-Relevant Demography Is Not Restricted to Humans Only

An article recently published in the renowned journal PNAS indicates a substantial lack of data on various species – which we would need for a better understanding of the dynamics of population developments and how our planet will change during upcoming decades.

An article recently published in the renowned journal PNAS indicates a substantial lack of data on various species – which we would need for a better understanding of the dynamics of population developments and how our planet will change during upcoming decades.

Less Liberal Than on Paper

Less Liberal Than on Paper

People living in Germany oppose abortion more than other western Europeans
One of the most crucial and emotional subjects of current bio-ethical debates is the question of abortion. Women (and their partners) who face such a decision are confronted with a contradictory situation: Abortion has become legal in almost all European and western countries. Yet, the implementation of the law, the daily practise of the respective physicians and clinics, or the regulations for funding an abortion by the healthcare systems are subject to big disputes between politicians, religious leaders and female activists.

Sarah Carol (University of Cologne) and Nadja Milewski (University of Rostock) carried out two studies that investigated the attitudes toward abortion among natives and immigrants living in cities in several European countries. Both studies revealed that there is large variation in the attitudes toward abortion among the inhabitants of Europe.

 

Using Twitter Data to Study Attitudes, Values, and Feelings Related to Family Life

Using Twitter Data to Study Attitudes, Values, and Feelings Related to Family Life

To what extent do social media users report negative or positive affects on topics relevant to the fertility domain? In a recent study published in Demographic Research, Letizia Mencarini and colleagues used computational linguistic techniques to explore opinions and semantic orientations related to parenthood on Twitter.

To what extent do social media users report negative or positive affects on topics relevant to the fertility domain? In a recent study published in Demographic Research, Letizia Mencarini and colleagues used computational linguistic techniques to explore opinions and semantic orientations related to parenthood on Twitter.

How Deep-Seated are Fertility Ideals?

How Deep-Seated are Fertility Ideals?

The study of the personal ideal family size of immigrants has a promising and so far underdeveloped potential to disclose the relationship between migration and fertility. Despite its importance, research rarely approached the role of the personal ideal family size for international migrants in the current debate on fertility and migration in the European context. The study of migrants’ ideal family size has the potential to shed light on fertility norms without the interference of economic conditions and migration-related disruptive phenomena.

A recent study by Eleonora Mussino and Livia Elisa Ortensi compares the personal ideal family size of migrant women of reproductive age who settled in Italy with the prevailing norm of those who stayed in their respective countries of origin.

 

The Urbanisation Penalty

The Urbanisation Penalty

In their new paper Catalina Torres and co-authors look back to the beginnings of urbanisation in Scotland and quantify the penalty of urbanisation.

In their new paper Catalina Torres and co-authors look back to the beginnings of urbanisation in Scotland and quantify the penalty of urbanisation. They quantify not only the direct toll paid by urban inhabitants exposed directly to the unsanitary and hazardous environment in the form of higher mortality, but they also quantify the effects of changing population redistribution on total life expectancy in Scotland between 1861 and 1910.

Beyond Father-Mother-Child

Beyond Father-Mother-Child

Today, there are plenty of different living arrangements and subsequent unions, separations and childbearing with multiple partners that contribute to the growing complexity of family ties, making households with multiple (step-) parental relationships and step- and half-siblings increasingly common.

A new article by researchers Elke Claessens and Dimitri Mortelmans provides a comparative analysis of how these new family models are being addressed in the child support schemes of eight different countries.

Why Do More Women Become Centenarians?

Why Do More Women Become Centenarians?

The persistence of mortality decline at all ages, particularly at older ages, means that an increasing number of individuals are becoming centenarians and semi-supercentenarians. In a recent study, researchers Graziella Caselli, Marco Battaglini and Giorgia Capacci attempted to show the evolution of the gender gap for cohorts born between 1870 and 1912 who were older than 100 and 105 years.

In a recent study, researchers Graziella Caselli, Marco Battaglini and Giorgia Capacci attempted to show the evolution of the gender gap for cohorts born between 1870 and 1912 who were older than 100 and 105 years.

Subjective Wellbeing Among Voluntary and Involuntary Retirees in Hungary

Subjective Wellbeing Among Voluntary and Involuntary Retirees in Hungary

A new paper by researchers Márta Radó and Michaël Boissonneault examines the differences in subjective wellbeing in Hungarians 0-3 years and 8-11 years after voluntary and involuntary retirement. The authors use genetic matching to improve the comparability of these two subgroups and to adjust the conditions of a controlled experiment in which voluntary retirement is the treatment variable.

A new paper by researchers Márta Radó and Michaël Boissonneault examines the differences in subjective wellbeing in Hungarians 0-3 years and 8-11 years after voluntary and involuntary retirement.

Upsurge in Homicides Decreases Life Expectancy and Life Span Equality Among Males in Mexico

Upsurge in Homicides Decreases Life Expectancy and Life Span Equality Among Males in Mexico

A new study published in a leading journal of public health shows that the recent increase of homicides in Mexico negatively impacted life expectancy for males and increased their lifespan inequality.

A new study published in a leading journal of public health shows that the recent increase of homicides in Mexico negatively impacted life expectancy for males and increased their lifespan inequality.