Whose job instability affects the likelihood of becoming a parent in Italy? A tale of two partners

We examine the likelihood of becoming a parent in Italy taking into account the employment (in)stability of both partners in a couple. We use data from four waves of the Italian section of the EU-SILC (Statistics on Income and Living Condition), 2004-2007, accounting for its longitudinal nature. Overall, our results suggest that Italian couples are neither fully traditional nor entirely modern: the "first pillar" (i.e., a male partner with a stable and well-paid job) is still crucial in directing fertility decisions, because, in our interpretation, it gives the household a feeling of (relative) economic security. But this "old" family typology is becoming rare. Increasingly, both partners are employed, and in this case the characteristics of their employment prove important. A permanent occupation for both partners is associated with higher fertility, while alternative job typologies for either of the two depress fertility.employment instability, first birth, income, Italy

Over-coverage in population registers leads to bias in demographic estimates.

Published online: 14 Nov 2019 Estimating the number of individuals living in a country is an essential task for demographers. This study assesses the potential bias in estimating the size of different migrant populations due to over-coverage in population registers. Over-coverage-individuals registered but not living in a country-is an increasingly pressing phenomenon however, there is no common understanding of how to deal with over-coverage in demographic research. This study examines different approaches to and improvements in over-coverage estimation using Swedish total population register data. We assess over-coverage levels across migrant groups, test how estimates of age-specific death and fertility rates are affected when adjusting for over-coverage, and examine whether over-coverage can explain part of the healthy migrant paradox. Our results confirm the existence of over-coverage and we find substantial changes in mortality and fertility rates, when adjusted, for people of migrating age. Accounting for over-coverage is particularly important for correctly estimating migrant fertility. Strategic Research Council of the Academy of Finland [293103] Swedish Research CouncilSwedish Research Council [340-2013-5164] Swedish Research Council for Health, Working life and WelfareSwedish Research CouncilSwedish Research Council for Health Working Life & Welfare (Forte

Multiple systems estimation for studying over-coverage and its heterogeneity in population registers

The growing necessity for evidence-based policy built on rigorous research has never been greater. However, the ability of researchers to provide such evidence is invariably tied to the availability of high-quality data. Bias stemming from over-coverage in official population registers, i.e. resident individuals whose death or emigration is not registered, can lead to serious implications for policymaking and research. Using Swedish Population registers and the statistical framework of multiple systems estimation, we estimate the extent of over-coverage among foreign-born individuals’ resident in Sweden for the period 2003–2016. Our study reveals that, although over-coverage is low during this period in Sweden, we observed a distinct heterogeneity in over-coverage across various sub-populations, suggesting significant variations among them. We also evaluated the implications of omitting each of the considered registers on real data and simulated data, and highlight the potential bias introduced when the omitted register interacts with the included registers. Our paper underscores the broad applicability of multiple systems estimation in addressing and mitigating bias from over-coverage in scenarios involving incomplete but overlapping population registers

Declining incidence trends for hip fractures have not been accompanied by improvements in lifetime risk or post-fracture survival – A nationwide study of the Swedish population 60years and older

Background: Hip fracture is a common cause of disability and mortality among the elderly. Declining incidence trends have been observed in Sweden. Still, this condition remains a significant public health problem since Sweden has one of the highest incidences worldwide. Yet, no Swedish lifetime risk or survival trends have been presented. By examining how hip fracture incidence, post-fracture survival, as well as lifetime risk have developed between 1995 and 2010 in Sweden, this study aims to establish how the burden hip fractures pose on the elderly changed over time, in order to inform initiatives for improvements of their health. Material and Methods: The entire Swedish population 60 years-old and above was followed between 1987 and 2010 in the National Patient Register and the Cause of Death Register. Annual age-specific hip fracture cumulative incidence was estimated using hospital admissions for hip fractures. Three-month and one-year survival after the first hip fracture were also estimated. Period life table was used to assess lifetime risk of hip fractures occurring from age 60 and above, and the expected mean age of the first hip fracture. Results: The age-specific hip fracture incidence decreased between 1995 and 2010 in all ages up to 94 years, on average by 1% per year. The lifetime risk remained almost stable, between 9% and 11% for men, and between 18% and 20% for women. The expected mean age of a first hip fracture increased by 2.5 years for men and by 2.2 years for women. No improvements over time were observed for the 3-month survival for men, while for women a 1% decrease per year was observed. The 1-year survival slightly increased over time for men (0.4% per year) while no improvement was observed for women. Conclusions: The age-specific hip fracture incidence has decreased over time. Yet the lifetime risk of a hip fracture has not decreased because life expectancy in the population has increased in parallel. Overall, survival after hip fracture has not improved

Suicide among persons who entered same-sex and opposite-sex marriage in Denmark and Sweden, 1989–2016: a binational, register-based cohort study

Background People belonging to sexual minority groups have higher levels of suicidality than heterosexuals. However, findings regarding suicide death are sparse. Using unique national data from two countries, we investigated whether individuals entering a same-sex marriage (SSM), a proxy group of sexual minority individuals, had higher suicide rates than those entering opposite-sex marriage (OSM). Methods A cohort study of all males and females who entered an SSM (n=28 649) or OSM (n=3 918 617) in Denmark and Sweden during 1989–2016 was conducted. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for suicide were calculated using adjusted Poisson regression models. Results In total, 97 suicides occurred among individuals who had entered an SSM compared with 6074 among those who entered an OSM, corresponding to an adjusted IRR of 2.3 (95% CI 1.9 to 2.8). For people who entered SSM, a 46% decline was noted over time from an IRR of 2.8 (95% CI 1.9 to 4.0) during 1989–2002 to 1.5 (95% CI 1.2 to 1.9) during 2003–2016. The excess suicide mortality was present in all age groups but most pronounced among younger individuals aged 18–34 years of age (IRR 2.7, 95% CI 1.5 to 4.8) and females (IRR 2.7, 95% CI 1.8 to 3.9). Conclusion This large register-based study found higher suicide rates among individuals who entered an SSM, compared with those who entered an OSM. A lower suicide rate was noted for individuals in SSMs in recent years. More research is needed to identify the unique suicide risk and protective factors for sexual minority people

Immigration, mortality, and national life expectancy in the Nordic region, 1990-2019.

Immigrants have higher life expectancy at age 1 than the native-born in Denmark, Finland and Norway do from 1990 to 2019. Immigrants in Denmark, Finland and Norway increasingly enhance national life expectancy at age 1 over time. Immigrants in Sweden have lower life expectancy at age 1 than native-born in Sweden do in 1990, but similar levels by 2019. The effect of immigrants on national life expectancy at age 1 in Sweden transforms from negative to positive over time. The unique mortality of immigrants affects rankings of life expectancy at age 1 in the Nordic region in recent years

Sex differences in mortality in migrants and the Swedish-born population: Is there a double survival advantage for immigrant women?

Oksuzyan A, Mussino E, Drefahl S. Sex differences in mortality in migrants and the Swedish-born population: Is there a double survival advantage for immigrant women? International Journal of Public Health. 2019;64(3):377-386