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Health inequality and population variation in fertility-timing
A T Geronimus1, J Bound, T A Waidmann
1Department of Health Behavior and Health Education and Faculty Research Associate, Population Studies Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109-2029, USA. arline@umich.edu
Social Science & Medicine (1982)
|November 26, 1999
Summary
Early fertility timing in poor urban African American communities helps offset parental mortality and health issues. This finding suggests a compensatory mechanism for families facing significant life challenges.
Area of Science:
- Demography
- Public Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Impoverished urban African American communities face challenges related to parental mortality and functional limitations.
- Fertility timing is a key demographic factor that can influence family structure and well-being.
- Understanding these dynamics is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the impact of fertility timing on parental survival and health.
- To analyze how early fertility influences the ability of parents to support children until maturity.
- To examine these effects within specific poor urban African American communities.
Main Methods:
- Utilized census and vital statistics data for analysis.
- Computed age- and sex-specific mortality rates.
- Assessed rates of functional limitation among prime-aged adults.
Main Results:
- Findings were observed in specific urban areas: Harlem, Detroit, Chicago, and Watts.
- Compared rates for impoverished African American populations against national Black and White populations.
- Results support the hypothesis that early fertility timing mitigates some family costs.
Conclusions:
- Early fertility timing in these communities acts as a buffer against the negative impacts of high mortality and early health deterioration.
- This demographic characteristic helps families cope with the challenges of young to middle adulthood.
- The study highlights the complex interplay between fertility patterns and socioeconomic factors in vulnerable populations.
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