Full Citation
Title: Estimating Numbers and Poverty Status of Female Household and Family HEads
Citation Type: Journal Article
Publication Year: 2017
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Abstract: Historical studies of single females and mothers are mostly based on heads of household only, because family-level information concerning complex households was unavailable and they were, therefore, rendered statistically invisible. This is still the case with modern surveys like the household income and expenditure survey, as income and resource data are only provided at household level. By categorising headship rates by sex, age and marital status, this paper presents a methodology for estimating – in addition to heads of household– the numbers of single females and mothers among members of complex or multigenerational households. Such situations were frequent in the past and continue to be so in developing countries and among migrants. Young couples may also be in such living arrangements, mostly in times of crises and tight housing markets. The data analysis shows that access to independent dwellings and to household headship is strongly related to income and employment, and the associated selection leads to significant biases in estimates of the socio-economic status of households or families, in favour of mostly better-off families. The poorest households are made up of those who live independently because no other option is open to them. Little option is open to those with little or no resources, either, and thus they live in complex households where their poverty risk cannot be estimated, and where they may have little influence on the education, health and work of themselves and their children.
Url: https://e-revistas.uc3m.es/index.php/REVHISTO/article/view/3708
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Authors: Rallu, Jean, L
Periodical (Full): Revista de Historiografia
Issue:
Volume: 26
Pages: 20
Data Collections: IPUMS USA
Topics: Family and Marriage, Gender, Poverty and Welfare
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