Kinlessness at Older Ages: Prevalence and Heterogeneity in 27 Countries.

Abstract

Objectives: We provide recent and detailed estimates of the prevalence of kinlessness (i.e., people lacking [close] kin) among older individuals in 27 countries. We add to the literature by considering a broad range of kinship ties and examining within-country variabilities by age, sex, education, and rurality of the residential area.

Methods: Using data from Wave 8 (2019-2020) of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe, we estimated the prevalence of kinlessness among individuals aged 65 and over in 26 European countries and Israel. We considered different definitions of kinlessness, from a less restrictive (based on the absence of both a partner and children) to a more restrictive one (absence of partner, children, grandchildren, parents, and siblings).

Results: Kinlessness varied considerably across countries. The percentage of people aged 65 and over who lacked a partner and children ranged between 2% and 3.5% in the Czech Republic, Romania, Israel, and Bulgaria to more than 8% in Switzerland, Spain, Belgium, and Malta. The percentage of older people lacking all close kin considered (partner, children, grandchildren, parents, and siblings) ranged from 0.1% to 4.1%. In addition, there was substantial heterogeneity in kinlessness in some countries by age, sex, and rurality of the residential area, whereas, except for a few cases, we did not find significant differences by education.

Discussion: Understanding the prevalence of kinless older adults is critical for policy-makers and healthcare providers to design appropriate support systems for this potentially vulnerable group of people.