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. 

The Determinants of Fathers’ Parental Leave Use

The Determinants of Fathers’ Parental Leave Use

The use of parental leave by fathers notably varies between countries. However, the underlying reasons for cross-country differences have not been explicitly studied. In a recent article, researchers Eleonora Mussino, Jussi Tervola and Ann-Zofie Duvander used migration between Finland and Sweden as an instrument to deconstruct the roles of policy design and social norms in the differences in take-up rates between these two countries.

The use of parental leave by fathers notably varies between countries. However, the underlying reasons for cross-country differences have not been explicitly studied. 

Ageing Alone and Coping Strategies

Ageing Alone and Coping Strategies

Researchers Nina Conkova, Julie Vullnetari, Russell King, and Tineke Fokkema explored and compared older adults’ lived experiences and coping strategies in two postcommunist countries: Albania and Bulgaria.

Researchers Nina Conkova, Julie Vullnetari, Russell King, and Tineke Fokkema explored and compared older adults’ lived experiences and coping strategies in two postcommunist countries: Albania and Bulgaria.

Could a Basic Income Challenge Gender Equality?

Could a Basic Income Challenge Gender Equality?

The discussion about basic income as a social benefit has been discussed frequently and worldwide in the last few years. A new article by researchers Alison Koslowski and Ann-Zofie Duvander addresses the question, how a basic income might contribute to a change in gendered behaviour. The authors discuss the idea of a basic income from a perspective of gender equality in the Swedish context, where family policies have already led to high levels of female labour force participation and gender equality.

The discussion about basic income as a social benefit has been discussed frequently and worldwide in the last few years. A new article by researchers Alison Koslowski and Ann-Zofie Duvander addresses the question, how a basic income might contribute to a change in gendered behaviour. 

Will Our Children Live More Equally?

Will Our Children Live More Equally?

“Being a role-model” is said to be one of the most important parts of parenting. So, if we live in an egalitarian relationship, where paid and unpaid work are shared in equal parts, will our children take over these habits?

“Being a role-model” is said to be one of the most important parts of parenting. So, if we live in an egalitarian relationship, where paid and unpaid work are shared in equal parts, will our children take over these habits?

The Use of WhatsApp to Predict Demographic Characteristics

The Use of WhatsApp to Predict Demographic Characteristics

WhatsApp is currently the most popular messaging application with the largest name recognition, by far the largest user base, and the strongest corporate backing since its acquisition by Facebook in 2014. It allows people to easily share texts, pictures and audio files.

WhatsApp is currently the most popular messaging application with the largest name recognition, by far the largest user base, and the strongest corporate backing since its acquisition by Facebook in 2014. It allows people to easily share texts, pictures and audio files.

Equality Often Ends with the Birth of the First Child

Equality Often Ends with the Birth of the First Child

Can couples who equally share domestic work maintain their egalitarian ways after the birth of their first child? And how is subjective satisfaction with work-life balance related to equal arrangements? Researchers María José González, Irene Lapuerta, Teresa Martín-García and Marta Seiz recently published a study analysing 31 dual-earner couples in Spain who had practiced an egalitarian division of household tasks during pregnancy.

Can couples who equally share domestic work maintain their egalitarian ways after the birth of their first child? And how is subjective satisfaction with work-life balance related to equal arrangements?

Ethnicity and Grandparental Child Care in the United Kingdom

Ethnicity and Grandparental Child Care in the United Kingdom

Caring for one's grandchildren has become a more common experience for individuals partly as a result of a longer overlap between the lives of grandparents and their grandchildren. Existing research shows that around 50 per cent of grandparents engage in some grandparental child care in most European countries, however, this proportion is higher among older people with a migrant background, partly due to greater economic necessity among migrant families.

Caring for one's grandchildren has become a more common experience for individuals partly as a result of a longer overlap between the lives of grandparents and their grandchildren.

Women Are More Likely to Reach Extreme Ages – but Men Will Catch Up

Women Are More Likely to Reach Extreme Ages – but Men Will Catch Up

More and more people are living until the ages of 100 or 105, becoming so-called centenarians or semi-supercentenarians. Women are far more likely than men to reach this old age, but according to a new study by Graziella Caselli, Marco Battaglini and Giorgia Capacci, the age gap is likely to grow smaller in the following decades.
Parents Tend to Live Longer than Childless Individuals – Why is That?

Parents Tend to Live Longer than Childless Individuals – Why is That?

Childless men and women have an overall higher mortality than adults with children, meaning that they die earlier, recent studies show. Mothers and fathers with two biological children have the lowest mortality risks, but it increases for parents with three or more biological children. What are the explanations for the relationship between having children and mortality risks?
Money

Being Poor Despite Having a Job: Family Transitions Matter

In a recent paper, researchers Zachary Van Winkle and Emanuela Struffolino addressed the issue of in-work poverty – an alarming phenomenon which is exceptionally common in the United States. They considered life courses of individuals from age 18-50 who were born between 1957 and 1964 in the United States, and particularly focused on the association between family demographic processes and the probability of belonging to the working with low-income.