The role of children and their socioeconomic resources for the risk of hospitalisation and mortality - a nationwide register-based study of the total Swedish population over the age 70.
Old age
Parity
Social support
Journal
BMC geriatrics
ISSN: 1471-2318
Titre abrégé: BMC Geriatr
Pays: England
ID NLM: 100968548
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
23 04 2019
23 04 2019
Historique:
received:
29
01
2019
accepted:
09
04
2019
entrez:
25
4
2019
pubmed:
25
4
2019
medline:
29
1
2020
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Previous studies have shown that mortality in old age is associated with both number of children and their socioeconomic resources. The underlying mechanisms are unclear, as well as when during the process of health deterioration the advantage of parents over non-parents arises. This study aims to examine how the number of children and their socioeconomic resources are associated with different health outcomes among their parents, namely the hazard for i) first hospitalisation, ii) re-admission, iii) mortality after first hospitalisation, and iv) overall mortality. This longitudinal cohort study includes all individuals born 1920-1940 who were living in Sweden at age 70 years (890,544 individuals). Individuals were linked to their offspring and spouse using administrative registers and followed for up to 25 years. Associations were estimated using multivariable Cox models adjusted for index persons' education and income, marital status, their partners' education, and age at first birth. In this study, having children was associated with reduced mortality risk of their parents, but not with the risk of being hospitalised, which increased as number of children increased. A higher education of children was protective for all parental outcomes independent of number of children and their financial resources. In fact, income of the children was only weakly associated with the health of their parents. The benefit of having children compared to childlessness for health in old age seems to arise once individuals have become ill rather than before. Children's education is important for parental health and mortality, in fact more important than the number of children itself in this Swedish cohort.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Previous studies have shown that mortality in old age is associated with both number of children and their socioeconomic resources. The underlying mechanisms are unclear, as well as when during the process of health deterioration the advantage of parents over non-parents arises. This study aims to examine how the number of children and their socioeconomic resources are associated with different health outcomes among their parents, namely the hazard for i) first hospitalisation, ii) re-admission, iii) mortality after first hospitalisation, and iv) overall mortality.
METHOD
This longitudinal cohort study includes all individuals born 1920-1940 who were living in Sweden at age 70 years (890,544 individuals). Individuals were linked to their offspring and spouse using administrative registers and followed for up to 25 years. Associations were estimated using multivariable Cox models adjusted for index persons' education and income, marital status, their partners' education, and age at first birth.
RESULTS
In this study, having children was associated with reduced mortality risk of their parents, but not with the risk of being hospitalised, which increased as number of children increased. A higher education of children was protective for all parental outcomes independent of number of children and their financial resources. In fact, income of the children was only weakly associated with the health of their parents.
CONCLUSIONS
The benefit of having children compared to childlessness for health in old age seems to arise once individuals have become ill rather than before. Children's education is important for parental health and mortality, in fact more important than the number of children itself in this Swedish cohort.
Identifiants
pubmed: 31014257
doi: 10.1186/s12877-019-1134-y
pii: 10.1186/s12877-019-1134-y
pmc: PMC6480801
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
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