A cross-national analysis of family and household structure

"Profound demographic change has taken place in the past few decades in many countries including decreases in fertility and household size, and increases in divorce and non-traditional living arrangements. This paper analyzes the cross-national variation in these trends by utilizing two data sets. Fertility, marriage/divorce and household structure are modeled as separate domains of family life and tested in a LISREL model. The correlations across these domains are examined along with indicators of socioeconomic development and cultural context. Findings indicate that the level of economic development has direct and negative associations with all three family domains. Culture has an independent effect on family demographics but it does not override the forces of development."

The pattern and structure of one-person households in England and Wales and France

"This paper examines the increase of one-person households during the 1980s in England and Wales and France set within the broader context of household change in Europe as a whole....One-person households vary geographically by age, with younger one-person households found especially in larger urban areas; older one-person households have a more varied distribution, although rural and traditional retirement areas have particular concentrations. Increases in numbers are a result of both compositional changes in the population (increasing numbers of divorced and never-marrieds as well as increasing numbers of elderly) and also an increasing propensity to live alone, especially among younger age groups."

Demographic change and housing demand in Spain: projections up to the year 2010

"The purpose of this study is to determine the future aggregate pressure of demographic factors on housing demand. Both the number and age compositions of Spanish households from 1980 to the year 2010 are projected. To determine the actual net increase of the number of households, the analysis considers both the formation and destruction of households. The magnitude and profile of the projection shows that in the present decade the net yearly growth in the number of households will be slightly smaller than that of previous years. In the first decade of the next century, there will be a drastic reduction in the net growth of new households."

Demographic situation in Poland in 1989 on the basis of the report of the Government Population Commission

"The study contains...statements of the...sixteenth report of the Government Population Commission on 'Poland's demographic situation'.... The 1990 Report presents for the first time a thorough analysis of mortality caused by...circulatory and respiratory system diseases, malignant neoplasms, injuries and poisonings, [for] basic administrative units (towns and gminas). Moreover, the 1990 Report presents an analysis of changes in the structures of: the socio-demographic situation of households and families, disability, and the external migration of Poland's population in the years 1978-1988. The Report also contains an analysis of the [sociological] changes in Polish family life over the postwar period...."

Land use and demographic change: results from fast-growth counties

The authors analyze and compare two data sets on land-use change in U.S. counties with rapidly growing populations for the period from 1960 to the early 1980s. The results show that "the net effect of changing household numbers, household characteristics, and economic constraints on demand for land is likely to mean less conversion of land for urban uses in the future. Our studies showed that marginal urban land consumption remained nearly constant between 1960 and the early 1980s."

[Projected trends in the number of households in Canada and the demographic impact, 1986-2011]

"The author presents three scenarios for the future evolution of the number of households [in Canada], and analyses the results of these projections according to type and size of households and age of the household head. Particular emphasis is given to the impact of population growth on the evolution of households." (SUMMARY IN ENG AND SPA)

Growth and equity effects of changing demographic structures in the Netherlands: simulations within a social accounting matrix

"This paper deals with the economic consequences of a changing demography in an industrialized country, namely the Netherlands. The analytical framework chosen is that of general equilibrium as statistically given by the social accounting matrix (SAM) in which we introduce households by size for the present economic demographic situation (1981) and for a future simulated situation (2010) featuring in particular a relative increase in one-person households (individualization). The income (output) multipliers of both SAMs show a positive growth bias towards three and more person households and towards mining, public utilities, trade and banking."

Changing patterns of marriage and household formation in Peninsular Malaysia

"Based on surveys conducted among different ethnic groups in rural and urban settings in Peninsular Malaysia in 1981-82, this paper analyses changes in patterns of marriage and household formation among Malays, Chinese, and Indians. Aspects covered include social mixing before marriage, choice of spouse, comparison of spouses' characteristics, and place of residence after marriage. There are important cultural differences between the main Malaysian ethnic groups in matters related to marriage, but in many important respects, attitudes and practice are tending to converge...."

Divorce, mobility and housing demand

The authors analyze the relationship between divorce and housing in the Netherlands. "We first describe the increase in the number of divorces since the early seventies as a context for our subsequent analysis of residential mobility and housing demand among the divorced. Expectations for future developments from now till the year 2000 are evaluated. We base our analysis on the general statistics compiled by the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics..., data from the 'National Survey of Housing Needs' 1981..., and a small survey we conducted in the municipality of Nieuwegein.... As recently as the early seventies, divorce had a relatively minor impact on the housing market in the Netherlands. But in the last decade the role of divorce in the process of household formation and dissolution has grown dramatically [and has had] an increasing impact on mobility and housing demand...." (SUMMARY IN FRE)

[[Changes in Japanese households between five-year intervals]]

The author examines recent changes in Japanese household type in 5-year intervals. The data come from the Demographic Survey of Family Life Course and Household Change conducted in 1985 by the Institute of Population Problems. Major results are as follows: 1) "Single" type households are very frequently established and broken up, especially in the early stages of household formation. 2) In changing household type, most households passed through the "couple and their children" type as a transit state. 3) The sojourn time of "couple and their children" state is relatively long. That type of household is relatively stable. 4) In households changing from "couple and their children" to other types, the change to "3-generation family" accounts for 19%, the change to "couples only" accounts for 62%, and the change to "single" accounts for 11%. 5) The change to "3-generation family" from any other type of household accounts for nearly 20% of all changes in every household type.

Multiperiod migration patterns: the timing and frequency of household responses

"The structure of intertemporal patterns of household migration responses is empirically examined. The findings indicate that migration decisions are often related to changes in household conditions in both prior as well as following periods, are dependent on the duration of household status characteristics (e.g., marital status) and not just their presence at any point in time, and finally that migration response in any particular period very often differs among households as a result of differences in the underlying structure of migration frequency behavior. These findings suggest that inferences based on comparisons of household migration responses over only a single period of time are incomplete, possibly to the point of being misleading." The study is based on a calculation of "the distribution of migration patterns between 1976 and 1979 for a sample of 4,739 households in the [U.S.] Michigan Panel Survey on Income Dynamics (PSIC)."

[On the mobile character of the Malay village population: a feature of the post-settlement population of Galok, Kelantan]

The author examines migration trends in Malay villages. "This report deals with the case of Galok, a settlement opened in the last decade of nineteenth century about 40 kilometers up the Kelantan River, based on field data collected in 1970/71 and 1984." The low rate of population growth due to migration is analyzed, with a focus on the impact of rural-urban migration and changes in household composition. (SUMMARY IN ENG)

American household structure in transition

The number of U.S. households rose by 58 percent between 1960 and 1983, with nontraditional household types accounting for most of the increase. Whereas the number of households containing married couples with children younger than 18 rose by only four percent over the period, one-parent households increased by 175 percent; one-person households, by 173 percent; and households composed of unmarried couples, by 331 percent. In 1983, households maintained by married couples constituted six in 10 U.S. households; the second most common household type--adults living alone--accounted for about one-quarter of all households. Lone parents living with their children represent nearly one in 10 households. Almost all of these parents are women--of whom two-thirds are separated or divorced, one-quarter have never been married, and fewer than one in 10 are widows. Among adults living alone, women aged 45 and older predominate; but the rate at which the practice has been adopted since 1960 has been greatest among those under age 45. Most of the growth in the number of one-person households occurred during the 1970s. The increase in cohabitation--most of it also in the 1970s--has similarly been concentrated in the younger age-groups. The living arrangements of children younger than 18 have changed accordingly over the two decades. Since 1960, the number of children living with two parents has declined by nearly one-fifth, and the number living with one parent--generally the mother--has more than doubled.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Migration and the transformation of employment and household structures

Data collected in Colombia and Thailand in 1977 are used to "compare the employment and household characteristics of migrants before and after the move in order to assess the degree of change which accompanies migration. Moreover, these comparisons [are] made for migration streams between places at different levels in the urban hierarchy with the intention of determining within which streams the greatest transformations occur."

Falling household size and its effect on metropolitan population growth and density

"In determining metropolitan population size and changes therein, urban theorists traditionally have focused on the number of occupied dwelling units or households and have assumed that these households are equal in size. This paper argues that average household size is an indicator of how intensively the housing stock is utilized and that there is substantial variation in household size across SMSAs in the U.S. The experience of 150 SMSAs is examined for the time period 1960 to 1970. The study model attributes varying household size to differentials in birth and divorce rates, racial composition and age of housing. Ramifications of recent household size declines involve the internal spatial organization of metropolitan areas and the Census controversy with cities over alleged undercounts of urban populations."