Quantifying stability and change in ethnic group

nine per cent of those recorded in an Asian group in 1991 have changed to a different group by 2001; 23 per cent of each of the Caribbean and African groups have changed. We quantify the separate influences of question unreliability, changes in categories, and conscious change of affiliation, finding that the latter contributes little instability over the period 1991–2001. The unreliability of the question is significant, due partly to the ambiguity of the categories for some people, and partly to imprecise imputation of missing values. We report the best correspondence between the different classifications used in 1991 and 2001 using empirical measures of fit. Key words: Race; reliability; longitudinal; census. 1

Trends in mortality by labour market position around retirement ages in three European countries with different welfare regimes

<p>Objectives: In the face of economic downturn and increasing life expectancy, many industrial nations are adopting a policy of postponing the retirement age. However, questions still remain around the consequence of working longer into old age. We examine mortality by work status around retirement ages in countries with different welfare regimes; Finland (social democratic), Turin (Italy; conservative), and England and Wales (liberal).</p> <p>Methods: Death rates and rate ratios (RRs) (reference rates = ‘in-work’), 1970 s–2000 s, were estimated for those aged 45–64 years using the England and Wales longitudinal study, Turin longitudinal study, and the Finnish linked register study.</p> <p>Results: Mortality of the not-in-work was consistently higher than the in-work. Death rates for the not-in-work were lowest in Turin and highest in Finland. Rate ratios were smallest in Turin (RR men 1972–76 1.73; 2002–06 1.63; women 1.22; 1.68) and largest in Finland (RR men 1991–95 3.03; 2001–05 3.80; women 3.62; 4.11). Unlike RRs for men, RRs for women increased in every country (greatest in Finland).</p> <p>Conclusions: These findings signal that overall, employment in later life is associated with lower mortality, regardless of welfare regime.</p&gt

Stability and change in ethnic groups in England and Wales

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) Longitudinal Study (LS) is an exceptional resource for exploring dynamic processes in individuals’ lives for a representative sample of the population of England and Wales and across a thirty year period, including how those processes vary by ethnic group. However, analyses tend to assume a certain stability in the meaning of the ethnic group being studied: the insights into ethnic group differentiation are premised on the fact that the group has the same meaning over time. Here we show how the LS allows us to challenge such notions of group stability. This has practical implications for the ways we measure and conceive of Britain’s minority ethnic groups. We illustrate this point with two examples: one exploring the change in ethnic group identification by the same individuals between 1991 and 2001, and the second exploring how loss to follow up is differentially experienced according to ethnic group. We provide some suggestions on the implications of this ethnic group instability for other research

What can the life course approach contribute to an understanding of longevity risk?

Longevity risk means living longer than predicted. Attempts to understand longevity risk to date have concentrated on single diseases, usually coronary heart disease, and sought explanations in terms of risk factor change and medical innovation. In an opening paper, David Blane and colleagues point to evidence that suggests changes in positive health also should be considered; and that a life course approach can do so in a way that is socially and biologically plausible. Applying this approach to UK citizens currently aged 85 years suggests that life course research should give priority to trajectories across the whole life course and to the social and material contexts through which each cohort has passed. Testing these ideas will require inter-disciplinary and international comparative research