Global Trends in the Demographics of Widowhood, 1970-2020

Elder Lara Castañeda , Sciences Po Paris
Zachary Van Winkle, SCIENCES PO, OBSERVATOIRE SOCIOLOGIQUE DU CHANGEMENT

Despite widowhood being a critical life event, systematic evidence on global trends and over time in widowhood is still lacking. Three research questions are addressed: How does the prevalence of widowhood vary across countries? How does it vary once adjusted for the age compositions? To what extent does age account for change in the prevalence of widowhood over time across countries? We draw on harmonized IPUMS data to estimate crude and age-standardized widowhood rates, which reflect the proportion of the widowed population among individuals aged 18 and older. Widowhood is a status predominantly experienced by women and is closely linked to aging populations and higher life expectancy. After controlling for age, standardized rates show less divergence between countries and highlight the occurrence of widowhood at younger ages, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Our results call attention to the sensitivity of widowhood rates to period shocks, like wars and epidemics.

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 Presented in Session P8. Demographic Trends, History, Data and Methods