Nonmarital cohabitation among older Finnish men and women: socioeconomic characteristics and forms of union dissolution.
OBJECTIVE
Nonmarital cohabitation has increased substantially among older adults. Our objective was to enhance understanding of cohabitation by comparing elderly cohabiters with the married according to socioeconomic status and union dissolution.


METHODS
We used population registration data on Finns aged 65 years and older living with a cohabiting partner or a married spouse in 1997 (n = 140,902). The participants were characterized according to various socioeconomic indicators and followed for separation, institutionalization, bereavement, and death until 2002.


RESULTS
Elderly cohabitation almost doubled between 1990 and 2003, with 3.4% of men and 2.1% of women currently cohabiting. Low educational attainment, low occupational social class, and living in rented housing were associated with cohabiting rather than being married. Low income among men but high income among women predicted cohabitation. Cohabiting unions were more likely than marriages to end through separation, institutionalization, bereavement, and death, with the highest excess risk being for separation. These effects were mostly independent of socioeconomic factors.


CONCLUSIONS
In socioeconomic terms, elderly cohabiters are mostly less privileged than the married. Nonmarital unions seem somewhat less protective than marriages against institutionalization and death. The substantially higher risk of separation also puts cohabiters at higher risk of losing potential care and support provided by coresident partners.
Population Research Unit, Department of Sociology, University of Helsinki, PO Box 18, Helsinki FIN-00014, Finland. heta.moustgaard@helsinki.fi
Heta
H
Moustgaard
Pekka
P
Martikainen
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001290:Attitude / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006798:Housing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors