{"title":"African households: National and subnational trends from censuses and surveys.","authors":"Maria Pohl, Albert Esteve, Juan Galeano","doi":"10.1080/00324728.2024.2427580","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Using census and survey microdata from 49 African countries across 415 subnational areas, we offer a comprehensive overview of household size and composition in Africa. The study emphasizes the potential of these data for understanding family dynamics through co-residential units. Clear regional patterns emerge, showcasing a wide range of household sizes across the continent. We find that household size is linked primarily to the number of children and secondarily to the presence of other family and non-family members beyond the nuclear household. The analysis of household composition also highlights the uneven influence of polygyny and extended families. This research is a first step in examining harmonized census and survey data to delve into the structure and dynamics of households across Africa from a demographic perspective.</p>","PeriodicalId":47814,"journal":{"name":"Population Studies-A Journal of Demography","volume":" ","pages":"385-405"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Population Studies-A Journal of Demography","FirstCategoryId":"90","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00324728.2024.2427580","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/2/26 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"DEMOGRAPHY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Using census and survey microdata from 49 African countries across 415 subnational areas, we offer a comprehensive overview of household size and composition in Africa. The study emphasizes the potential of these data for understanding family dynamics through co-residential units. Clear regional patterns emerge, showcasing a wide range of household sizes across the continent. We find that household size is linked primarily to the number of children and secondarily to the presence of other family and non-family members beyond the nuclear household. The analysis of household composition also highlights the uneven influence of polygyny and extended families. This research is a first step in examining harmonized census and survey data to delve into the structure and dynamics of households across Africa from a demographic perspective.
期刊介绍:
For over half a century, Population Studies has reported significant advances in methods of demographic analysis, conceptual and mathematical theories of demographic dynamics and behaviour, and the use of these theories and methods to extend scientific knowledge and to inform policy and practice. The Journal"s coverage of this field is comprehensive: applications in developed and developing countries; historical and contemporary studies; quantitative and qualitative studies; analytical essays and reviews. The subjects of papers range from classical concerns, such as the determinants and consequences of population change, to such topics as family demography and evolutionary and genetic influences on demographic behaviour.