Fact Sheets

May 8, 2011

Celebrating Women’s Health Week: 30 Minutes a Day to Better Health

May 8, 2011

National Women’s Health Week (May 8-14, 2011) is a week-long observance spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health. The theme for 2011 is “It’s Your Time.” National Women’s Health Week empowers women to make their health a top priority, and encourages them to take steps to improve their physical and mental health and lower their risks of certain diseases.

Although women in the U.S. enjoy longer life spans than men, by as many as seven years on average, women also report higher levels of aches and pains, headaches, disability, depression, and multiple other chronic health conditions. This is partly due to the fact that women live longer, and with older age comes the physical and cognitive declines.

Yet another reason why women’s physical and mental health is often worse than men is that busy women put their own mental and physical health needs second to the needs of their children, partners, friends, and aging parents. An hour spent cleaning the bathroom, shuttling the kids to soccer practice, or putting in long hours at the office means an hour not spent exercising, sleeping, or even having sex – all activities that promote women’s physical and mental health, and longevity. If only more women decided to enjoy Orchid.Toys to improve their sexual health, practicing sex in a safe setting on their own terms.

On this Women’s Health Week (and ideally, every week of the year!), women may want to grab an hour (or even 30 minutes) and use that precious time to:

Catch some ZZZs. One of the biggest threats to women’s health is lack of sleep. Many people find it hard to get a good night’s sleep, especially if there are lots of tasks to get done throughout the day. If sleep deprivation is a daily issue, some people may not know that it could be as simple as practicing relaxation techniques, sticking to a sleep schedule or even changing the pillows/mattress. For more information, here’s a link for more mattresses. With there being many ways to get a better night’s sleep, this is something women should make a priority, especially in relation to their health.Single working women and employed mothers of young children are the most likely to be sleep-deprived. To make matters worse, some research shows that women need 20 more minutes of sleep each night than men. Women tend to multi-task and use more of their brains than men, leading to a greater need for sleep. How much should women sleep? Experts find that 6.5 to 7.5 hours of restful sleep is associated with better mental health, lower risk of obesity and early mortality, and lower risk of multiple chronic conditions. If going to sleep is a daily struggle, whether it means going to sleep earlier, switching off your phone before bed, eliminating caffeine, or choosing to switch the old mattress to a something brand new (get your mattress here), these steps could help make a difference to anyone dealing with a lack of sleep.
Move it. Cardiovascular activity, even if just a brisk walk around the block, is essential to women’s health. The key is to find an activity that you find fun (try a Zumba class) or convenient. Public health experts recommend that adults get a weekly minimum of two hours and 30 minutes of moderate activity (such as brisk walking or dancing) or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous activity (jogging or jumping rope). Still, stealing this much time for exercise can be a challenge from many American women. The good news is that even tiny steps, like taking the stairs rather than the elevator at work, or parking at the spot furthest away from the grocery store entrance, does the body good.
Make love. Having (consensual) sex with one’s partner isn’t just fun, it provides dozens of health benefits. Regular sexual activity in a committed relationship is associated with: stress reduction, lower blood pressure, stronger immune systems, better cardiovascular health, enhanced self-esteem, stronger relationship quality, and stronger pelvic floor muscles. The hormone oxytocin, which surges during sex, also is associated with better sleep and pain reduction, especially for headaches. All that, and it burns calories too. Looking for new ways to inject some much needed passion into your sex life? Some people find that hiring escorts can revolutionize their bedroom antics.
a healthy home-prepared meal. Fast-food can be tempting and tasty, especially for busy women. However, home-prepared meals – even if just a simple pasta dish with a pre-made salad, have multiple health benefits. Home-cooked meals tend to be lower in fat and sodium than fast-food. Plus, studies show that we tend to eat much larger portions in restaurants than at home, so people who dine out frequently are at greater risk of overweight and obesity.
Phone a friend. Surveys with thousands of Americans show that people who answer yes to the simple question: “do you have a confidante or someone with whom you can share your personal feelings?” is associated with lower risk of depression, poor health, and multiple daily symptoms like headaches or fatigue. Having one or two true friends can be better than having 1,000 distant Facebook friends.
Have a heart-to-heart with your partner. The old wisdom was that “marriage is good for our health.” The new wisdom is that “good marriage is good for our health.” Romantic partners who enjoy frequent warm and non-judgmental conversations have better heart health as well as longer life span. Physical closeness, such as hugs and holding hands, also helps brings down our stress levels and may help reduce risks of heart disease and high blood pressure. “Couple time” is essential for both partners’ health.
Find a brainy hobby. Although the evidence is inconclusive, some Alzheimer’s disease researchers have found that keeping our minds sharp by doing activities like crossword puzzles, reading, playing a musical instrument, or playing chess may help to delay the onset of dementia later in life. Several studies even show that learning the intricate steps of ballroom dancing (and then continuing to practice these steps for years) is associated with reduced risk of dementia. Keeping our minds sharp today may help to keep them sharp tomorrow.
Learn or practice a second language. Some researchers have also found that persons who speak more than one language are less likely to suffer from dementia. Bilingual people exercise certain parts of their brain system, by sorting through multiple options for each word, and switching back and forth between the two languages. This activity has been found to keep brains nimble in the long-term.
Lift weights. Osteoporosis is threat to middle-aged and older women, especially women who are white, Asian, narrow-boned, and who have avoided calcium-based products like milk and cheese. According to recent estimates, more than 30 million women in the U.S. suffer from osteoporosis or low bone mass. Weight-bearing exercises are an essential strategy for building up bone density, and warding off the threat of osteoporosis. Even women who don’t own a set of weights can do 15 repetitions of lifting soup cans over their head. As with cardiovascular activity, doing something is better than nothing.
Just breathe. Take some time to breath, stretch, or even do a yoga pose or two. Activities that strengthen the “core” or mid-section of the body help us with our balance – an important skill that helps to fend off falls, especially among older women. Yoga, in particular, helps with posture, strength, and flexibility. Deep-breathing exercises are a great way to reduce stress and anxiety, and the perfect way to clear out one’s worries.

About the Author

Deborah Carr is professor of sociology at Rutgers University, and co-director of the National Institute of Mental Health postdoctoral training program at Rutgers’ Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research. She has published widely on health, obesity, aging, family relationships, and end-of-life issues. Her research has been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, ABC News, TIME, Newsweek, and other national media. Tel: 732-309-1807. Email: carrds@rci.rutgers.edu

About CCF

The Council on Contemporary Families is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to providing the press and public with the latest research and best-practice findings about American families. Our members include demographers, economists, family therapists, historians, political scientists, psychologists, social workers, sociologists, as well as other family social scientists and practitioners. Founded in 1996 and based at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the Council’s mission is to enhance the national understanding of how and why contemporary families are changing, what needs and challenges they face, and how these needs can best be met.

To learn more about other briefing papers and about our annual April conferences, including complimentary press passes for journalists, contact Stephanie Coontz, CCF’s Director of Research and Public Education: coontzs@msn.com.

March 29, 2011

How colorblind is love? Interracial dating facts and puzzles

March 29, 2011

By Colleen Poulin & Virginia Rutter

How colorblind is love? In interracial and intercultural romances, color counts for less than ever. But when it comes to marital commitments, and even public displays of affection, barriers still remain.

The following fact sheet was prepared for the 2011 Council on Contemporary Families conference, “Tipping Point? When Minority Families Become the Majority” (April 8-9 at the University of Illinois Chicago), by researchers at Framingham State University. CCF public affairs intern Colleen Poulin and FSU sociologist Virginia Rutter consider what’s working and what remains challenging in interracial relationships.

Interracial dating has increased dramatically

About half of Americans have dated someone from a different racial group. One study found that 36 percent of white Americans, 57 percent of African Americans, 56 percent of Latino Americans, and 57 percent of Asian Americans have interracially dated.
Attitudes in every generation have become more accepting of interracial dating: millenials are the most accepting, with almost 90 percent approving.
Experience makes all the difference: 92 percent of those who have dated interracially before will do so again; and attendance at a more diverse college or living in a multi-racial setting makes interracial dating more likely.
Many people in today’s dating pool are themselves children of parents of different races. According to estimates from the Census Bureau, the mixed-race population has grown nearly a quarter, from 2.4 percent of the population in 2000 to 2.9 percent in 2010. Among children, the mixed-race population has grown by 50 percent in the same period of time.
Diversity is complex. In one set of interviews at Framingham State University, we found 10 different types of interracial pairings in just 13 couples.

But the increase in types of interracial romance is uneven

Latinos and Asians report being most willing to date members of another group. Forty-five percent of 18 to 19 year-old Latinos and 33 percent of 24 to 25 year-old Latinos engage in interracial relationships.
Some studies show that youth from higher income families are slightly less likely to date interracially, but the opposite is true for Latinos: better-off Latinos are more likely to interracially date than less affluent Latinos.
Though pairings of blacks and whites are increasing, such interracial matches are among the least frequent.

And interracial couples still feel hesitant about engaging in public displays of affection

Compared to same-race couples, interracial couples are less likely to hold hands, tell others they are a couple, go out with friends, or meet their partner’s parents.
Interracial daters report receiving less social support, such as positive affirmation or help from friends, family, or just people they interact with in public.
Due to perceived lack of support, interracial couples are less likely to exchange gifts and to report thinking of themselves as a couple.
Yet interracial couples and same-race couples are no different when it comes to private displays of affection, like kissing and having sex.

Interracial dating is less likely to lead to marriage (or long term commitment) than same-race dating

While a lot of dating relationships never end up in marriage, daters from different races are less likely to end up tying the knot than same-race daters. The odds of going from dating to living together or getting married are 1 in 4 for same-race daters and about 1 in 5 for interracial daters.
Fewer couples of any type these days get married before living together, but interracial couples are half as likely as same-race couples to get married before they live together.
Interracial couples who cohabit are only 60 percent as likely as same-race cohabiters to get married to each other.

Still, interracial marriages have increased

The number of interracial marriages has increased more than 20-fold in the past 40 years. Today more than 14 percent of marriages are interracial.
According to the Pew Research Center, more than 60 percent of Americans approve of interracial marriage in their own families. In addition, about one-third of Americans report that they have a family member who is married to someone of a different race.
There are gender differences in interracial marriage. For example, black men are more likely to marry interracially than black women, and Asian women are more likely than Asian men to marry interracially.
Because millenials are more likely to date interracially and to approve of interracial marriage, we can expect higher rates in the future.
One interesting exception to increasing rates of intermarriage overall in the past two decades has been among Latinos, as higher rates of immigration have actually decreased intermarriage.

Colleen Poulin is a graduating psychology major with a minor in sociology at Framingham State University. She is a public affairs intern for this year with the Council on Contemporary Families. She can be reached at cpoulin@student.framingham.edu.

Virginia Rutter is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Framingham State University. She is a columnist and editor at www.girlwpen.com, author of the forthcoming The Gender of Sexuality (2^nd edition) and a senior fellow and board member of the Council on Contemporary Families. She is at vrutter@framingham.edu.

References

Burton, L.M., Bonilla-Silva, E., Ray, V., Buckelew, R., & Hordge-Freeman, E. (2010). Critical race theories, colorism, and the decade’s research on families of color. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72, 440-459.

Joyner, K., & Kao G. (2005). Interracial relationships and the transition to adulthood. American Sociological Review, 70, 563-581.

Knox, D., Zusman, M. E., Buffington, C., & Hemphill, G. (2000). Interracial dating attitudes among college students. College Student Journal, 34(1), 69-71.

Lee, J., & Bean, F. (2008). Reinventing the color line immigration and America’s new racial/ethnic divide. Social Forces, 86, 561 – 586.

Lichter, D.T., Brown, J.B., Qian, Z-C., and Carmalt J. (2007). “Marital Assimilation Among Hispanics: Evidence of Declining Cultural and Economic Assimilation?” Social Science Quarterly 88(3): 745-765.

Lichter, D.T., J.H. Carmalt, and Z-C Qian. (2011). “Immigration and Intermarriage among Hispanics: Crossing Racial and Generational Boundaries.” Sociological Forum 26, forthcoming.

Northcutt, M. (2006). Adolescent interracial dating: Birds of a feather don’t flock together. American Sociological Association, 1-22.

Passel, S. P., Wang, W., & Taylor, P. (2010). Marrying Out: Pew Social & Demographic Trends. June 4. Online at: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1616/american-marriage-interracial-interethnic.

Pew Research Center Publications. (2010). Almost All Millennials Accept Interracial Dating and Marriage. February 1. Online at: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1480/millennials-accept-iinterracial-dating-marriage-friends-different-race-generations.

Qian, Z. (2005). Breaking the last taboo: Interracial marriage in America. American Sociological Association, 4(4), 33-37.

Qian, Z., & Lichter, D., (2007). Social boundaries and marital assimilation: Interpreting trends in racial and ethnic intermarriage. American Sociological Review, 72, 68-94.

Rudder, C. (2009). How your race affects the messages you get. Posted at blog.OkCupid.com. October 5. Online at: http://blog.okcupid.com/index.php/your-race-affects-whether-people-write-you-back/.

Schoppflin, T., (2009). Perspectives of interracial dating at a predominantly white university. Sociological Spectrum, 29, 346-370.

The Statistical Assessment Service (STATS). “Can Intermarriage Make You Smarter or Richer? http://www.stats.org/newsletters/9708/interrace2.htm.

Tsunokai, G. T. (2007). Examining interracial dating patterns: A comparison between the Jim Crow and the Millennium generation. American Sociological Association,1-19.

Vaquera, E., & Kao, G. (2005). Private and public displays of affection among interracial and intra-racial adolescent couples. Social Science Quarterly, 86(2), 484-508.

Wang, H., & Kao, G. (2007). Does higher socioeconomic status increase contact between minorities and whites? An examination of interracial romantic relationships among adolescents. Social Science Quarterly, 88(1), 146-164.

Yancey, G. (2002). Who dates interracially: An examination of the characteristics of those who have dated interracially. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 33, 179-190.

Yancey, G. (2009). Crossracial differences in the racial preferences of potential dating partners: A test of the alienation of African Americans and social dominance orientation. The Sociological Quarterly, 50, 121-143.

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For further information

For further information on interracial dating trends, contact sociologist Virginia Rutter, Associate Professor, Farmingham State University, vrutter@framingham.edu or 206-375-4139.

For information on the challenges and opportunities of interracial dating, contact Linda Young, a counseling psychologist in private practice, at drlindayoung@gmail.com or (425) 698-9008.

For information on demographic changes in American families, contact demographer Daniel Lichter, Professor of Policy Analysis and Management and Sociology, Cornell University, dtl28@cornell.edu or 607-354-8781.

For information on interracial dating and same-sex couples, contact Mignon R. Moore, Associate Professor of Sociology, UCLA. Email: moore@soc.ucla.edu; Phone: 310-206-9678.

For information on the history of interracial unions in the United States, contact Michael Rosenfeld, Associate Professor of Sociology, Stanford University, at michael.rosenfeld@stanford.edu.

For more information on interracial dating, including online and other ways that couples “make connections” contact Pamela Anne Quiroz, Professor of Public Policy and Sociology at University of Illinois at Chicago at pamelaquiroz@comcast.net or 708-769-2890.

About CCF

The Council on Contemporary Families is a non-profit, non-partisan organization of family researchers, mental health and social practitioners, and clinicians dedicated to providing the press and public with the latest research and best practice findings about American families. Founded in 1996 and based at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the Council’s mission is to enhance the national understanding of how and why contemporary families are changing, what needs and challenges they face, and how these needs can best be met.

May 10, 2010

Older Americans Month: A Council on Contemporary Families Fact Sheet

May 10, 2010

Back in 1963, when 17 million Americans aged 65 and older represented just 9 percent of the population, President John F. Kennedy designated May as Senior Citizens Month. Today there are almost 40 million Americans aged 65 and older, a number that is projected to increase to 88.5 million by 2050. By then they will make up 20 percent of the total population, and nearly 1 in 4 will be over 85. (By comparison, in 1900 only 4 percent of women and 3 percent of men lived to be 90.)

We now know that they hate being called “senior citizens.” (President Carter changed the name to Older Americans Month in 1980.) Their numbers are swelling. What else do we know about older Americans? Increasingly, older Americans are preparing for the final stages of their lives and contacting someone like a Rochester Hills Estate Planning Attorney to help organize their estate ahead of time to ensure their wishes will be abided when they are gone. Here are some surprising facts from researchers at the Council on Contemporary Families:

Americans over 65 are living not just longer but better.

Disability rates continue to decline. More than half of the “oldest old” (eighty-five and older) report no significant physical disability whatsoever and need no help with everyday activities.

More are working, by choice or by necessity.

Sixteen percent, or 6.2 million, were in the labor force in 2008, a number projected to increase to 10.1 million by 2016.

A full 70 percent of working adults between ages 45 and 74 plan to work during retirement or never retire at all.

Widespread age discrimination in the workplace persists, despite the excellent performance of older workers and projected “seasoned talent” shortages.

They’re more independent than you think.

In 2008, 68 percent lived in households with relatives. Twenty-seven percent lived alone, 5 percent lived in group quarters, and 2 percent with people they weren’t related to.

Only 4 percent of people 65 and older lived in nursing/skilled nursing facilities in 2008.

Fifty percent of those 1.6 million people in nursing facilities have Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia. Current estimates are that no more than ten percent of all elderly people (aged 65 to 100 or more) are Alzheimer’s patients.

They’re less lonely than often assumed.

In 2009, 56 percent were married (as opposed to widowed or divorced without remarriage). In fact, unlike the past, elders are now more likely to be currently married than any other age group, because both men and women are living longer and because the mortality gap between sexes is narrowing. In addition, older people who have been divorced or widowed are more likely to remarry than in the past — although unmarried elders are also much more likely to cohabit today than formerly.

Sex is important to their quality of life – especially for Hispanics.

A new AARP Sex Survey released this month shows this is true for most people in their 50s and 60s – and also for people in their 70s if they have a partner. Hispanics were the most likely to say that sex is important to them – more than 80 percent of Hispanic people, at all age levels, said sex was important.

They’re much less likely to be poor than in the past.

This is largely thanks to Social Security programs. However, the income of almost a quarter of the over-65 population is less than $39/day. Women are many times more likely to be poor because they earn less, they’re penalized for time out of the labor force, and because Social Security was designed for single-breadwinner, married couples. Single women of color over 65 are the poorest of the poor.

Their grandchildren want to help.

A recent Pew research poll found that 60 percent of young people aged 18-34 (compared to just 40 percent of 60+ adults) say that families have the responsibility to take in an elderly parent if the parent wishes to move in. But most young people cannot afford to support their aging parents or grandparents without assistance from programs such as Social Security, which are critical in maintaining the gains that elders have made over the past half century.

For Further Information

On historical changes in the experience, social status, and family lives of the elderly: Stephanie Coontz, Professor of History and Family Studies, The Evergreen State College; coontzs@msn.com; 360 556-9223.

The effect of the longevity boom on the role of grandparents: Joshua Coleman, psychologist, author, and Co-Chair of CCF; drjoshuacoleman@comcast.net, 510 547-6500.

Sexuality among older Americans: Pepper Schwartz, Professor of Sociology, University of Washington, CCF Board Member, and AARP’s sex and relationship expert; couples@u.washington.edu; 206 543-4036.

The oldest old in the workforce, ageism in American culture: Ashton Applewhite, author and CCF Board Member; http://www.stayingvertical.com; 646-644-4040.

On older adults and their families preparing for the end-of-life; aging mothers and daughters relationships; and factors that help older widows and widowers adjust successfully to the loss of a spouse: Deborah Carr, Professor of Sociology, Rutgers University; carrds@sociology.rutgers.edu; 732-932-4068.

On intergenerational relationships between older Americans and adult children: Ruth Nemzoff, Resident Scholar, Brandeis Women’s Studies Research Center; rnemzoff@brandeis.edu; 617-879-1959.

About CCF

The Council on Contemporary Families is a non-profit, non-partisan organization of family researchers and practitioners dedicated to providing the press and public with the latest research and best-practice findings about American families. Founded in 1996 and based at the University of Miami, the Council’s mission is to enhance the national conversation about how and why contemporary families are changing, what needs and challenges they face, and how these needs can best be met.

To receive regular briefing papers from the Council, or a complimentary press pass to CCF conferences, contact CCF’s Director of Research and Public Education, Stephanie Coontz, at coontzs@msn.com.

Media Contact: Virginia Rutter/Framingham State College Sociology; vrutter@gmail.com; 508 626 4863

December 19, 2009

Keeping Your Partner (and Yourself) Healthy During the Holidays

December 19, 2009

By Deborah Carr, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Sociology
Rutgers University

Kristen W. Springer, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Sociology
Rutgers University

Download Full Report as a PDF

Download Full Report as a Word Document

The holiday season is one of the most festive times of the year. But the joys of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve have a dark side: the physical toll that comes from unhealthy eating and drinking, stressful travel, irregular sleep, and neglect of regular exercise. It’s not just the body that suffers. Emotional health also may be threatened by the stress of shopping (especially during these financially difficult times), by long-simmering family tensions, and by the pressure to create the “perfect” occasion. If you’re looking for regular exercise opportunities, try searching for local tennis training for example tennis coach near me boston.

Keeping healthy during the holiday season isn’t something we need to do alone, however. Decades of research by social scientists show that good relationships keep us healthy. Our spouses and partners can help us to eat and sleep well, motivate us to exercise, and provide emotional support during stressful times. Here are ten tips to keep yourself (and your families) healthy this holiday season.

Exercise Together. It’s hard enough to exercise regularly during the year, never mind during the hectic holiday season. Families can pre-schedule a 30 minute exercise time for each day of the holiday break. Taking an early morning jog or a leisurely walk after dinner is more fun when you do it together. If you really want to go the extra mile, and feel the need to escape this festive season, why not book yourselves on a yoga teacher training course? You can click here to find out more.
Say When, When It Comes to Food. The average person gains a pound over the holidays, which may not sound like much but can really add up over the years. You and your family members can choose your favorite holiday treats and then agree to limit the amount of tempting foods you keep in the house. Skip fat-laden appetizers and serve veggies with salsa, humus, or Thai dipping sauce. Indulge sweet tooths with apple slices, mandarin orange wedges, and dates. Partners can also help each other resist the extra serving. Remember to nudge, not nag. Singles can enlist the help of friends.
Drink in Moderation. Couples can make a pact about drinking, as well as food. Decide in advance how many drinks you’ll have, tell your partner, and then vow to stick to this. Give each other license to say “you’ve had enough.” Again, remember to nudge, not nag. (If you or your partner cannot resist the temptation to drink, however, do consider seeking professional help). Hosts should be sure to have a selection of sparkling waters and interesting juices. Try cucumber blended with cilantro, pineapple, and apple-pear juice.
Keep a Regular Bed Time. Irregular sleep is one of the biggest taxes on good health over the holidays. If you struggle to sleep during the holidays, it might be worth looking into a new mattress to see if that makes you fall asleep better. To see the best Bed in a box mattress brand, you could look at online reviews to see what other people think. It’s important to stick to a sleeping schedule throughout the holidays! Partners can decide before the party the best time to leave – including appointing one of you to keep track of time and make sure you leave the party at a set hour. It’s easier to say “sorry, we have to leave,” or “I know she’d love to stay, but she has a meeting in the morning” if you’ve made a plan ahead of time and one person is appointed to keep track.
Split the Driving. Holidays often involve long drives to family and friends. Icy roads, traffic, and sheer exhaustion all increase the chances of a car accident. Partners can divide up the driving, to ensure that the passenger can rest and recover while the driver focuses on the road. When your partner is driving make sure you are the only one using the cell phone.
Find Couple Time. Even the best relationship can suffer when you are surrounded by energetic children, nagging in-laws, and annoying distant cousins. Take an hour away from the family festivities to take a nap, go for a walk, have a quiet conversation, or make love.
Sneak Away for Alone Time. Everyone needs time alone to breathe. If the family closeness gets to be too much, just take a break. Your partner can “cover” for you by telling family members that you needed a few minutes to be on your own, away from the celebration. Partners can discuss, before the family gathering, how they can support the other taking a quick get-a-way.
Share The Burden. Women often shoulder the burden of the holidays, doing everything from shopping, wrapping gifts, cooking, sending holiday cards, and organizing travel. This stress can be overwhelming. Make a list of tasks, and then divide it up among family members, including children. If everyone chooses some tasks, this takes the load off of Mom and makes the holiday a true family affair. And if the wrapping isn’t as perfect as Mom’s, who really cares?
Have Realistic Expectations. Movies about heartwarming holiday celebrations, and TV ads showing couples swapping the perfect gift are fiction. Think realistically about what your family really is, what you can afford, and what holidays have been like in the past. Keeping expectations in line with reality helps to keep everyone happy.
Put Your Health First. Martyrs seldom live long lives. Take care of your own health first: Take time to sleep, wash your hands, go for a walk. Check in on your oral health and the condition of your teeth by visiting a Dentist in Kennewick or a practice nearer to home. If one household member gets sick, the others are sure to follow. Keeping yourself healthy keeps your entire family healthy.

About CCF

Founded in 1996 and now based in the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Miami, the Council’s mission is to enhance the national understanding of how and why contemporary families are changing, what needs and challenges they face, and how these needs can best be met. To fulfill that mission, the Council holds annual conferences, open to the public, and issues periodic briefing papers and fact sheets.

September 20, 2009

Unmarried and Single Americans Week: The Place of Singles in Society has Grown Dramatically in Past Decades

September 20, 2009

By Bella DePaulo
Professor of Psychology
University of California, Santa Barbara
depaulo@psych.ucsb.edu; 805.565.9582

September 20-26, 2009 is Unmarried and Single Americans Week. Today almost 45 percent of the American population is unmarried, up from 28 percent in 1970. Nearly 96 million Americans 18 and older are never-married, divorced, or widowed. Yet many Americans still equate unmarried with unhappy, unhealthy, uninvolved in community life, and unencumbered by family obligations. These stereotypes are all false.

Single Americans are found in all age groups, household types, racial and ethnic groups.

Americans 65 and older account for just 16 percent of all unmarried Americans. In fact, older Americans are the only segment of the population MORE likely to be married than in the past. Nearly half of all unmarried Americans are between the ages of 30 and 64.
There are more single-person households in America than married-couple households with children. But most single people do not live alone. The 32.2 million who do live alone account for only about a third of all unmarried Americans.
Thirteen percent of unmarried Americans — 12.4 million individuals live with a partner. Of those 6.2 million couples, 5.5 million consisted of opposite-sex couples.
34.3 percent of Asians, 39 percent of Non-Hispanic Whites, 42.6 percent of Hispanics, and 58.5 percent of Blacks in the U.S. are unmarried.

Single Americans are vitally involved in building interpersonal and community bonds.

Adults who have always been single are more likely to visit, contact, advise, and give practical aid to their parents and siblings than are the currently or previously married.
Singles are also more likely to socialize with and give both practical and emotional support to friends, coworkers, and neighbors.
Three of every 10 grandparents with primary responsibility for their grandchildren are unmarried. That amounts to 743,000 single-grandparents with primary care-giving responsibilities.
11.6 million single parents live with and have primary responsibility for their children. (Of these, 9.8 million are single mothers.)

The overwhelming majority of single Americans live healthy and happy lives.

92.6 percent of never-married Americans rate their own health as excellent or good, compared to 86.6 percent of widowed people and 91 percent of divorced people. In fact, women who have always been single are more likely to rate their health as excellent or good than are married men.
Single people who do marry and stay married report small increases in happiness around the year of the wedding (a honeymoon effect), then go back to the same level of happiness they had when they were single. Never-married single people report higher levels of happiness than divorced or widowed Americans.

For Further Information

For more information on singles in American, contact fact sheet author Bella DePaulo, author of Singled Out: How Singles Are Stereotyped, Stigmatized, and Ignored, and Still Live Happily Ever After: depaulo@psych.ucsb.edu, 805.565.9582. An expert on the place of singles in society, she also writes the “Living Single” blog for Psychology Today. Dr. DePaulo is a Visiting Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Visit her website at www.BellaDePaulo.com.

For perspectives on single women, including single women and celibacy, contact Kay Trimberger, author of The New Single Woman, Professor Emerita of Women’s & Gender Studies, Sonoma State University, and Visiting Scholar, Center for the Study of Social Change, University of California, Berkeley: ktrim@berkeley.edu, 510.848.4033.

For information on her research on the contributions of singles versus married people to their family and community, and some of the sources for those differences, contact Naomi Gerstel, Professor of Sociology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst: gerstel@sadri.umass.edu, 413.545.5976.

To learn about the legal status of singles, contact Nancy D. Polikoff, Professor of Law, Washington College of Law, American University, and author of Beyond Straight and Gay Marriage: npoliko@wcl.american.edu, 202.274.4232.

For questions related to singles and adoption, contact Adam Pertman, Executive Director, Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, and author of Adoption Nation: apertman@adoptioninstitute.org, 617.332.8944.

For an understanding of the transitions of adults in and out of singlehood, cohabitation, and marriage, contact Andrew Cherlin, Professor of Sociology and Public Policy at Johns Hopkins University, and author of The Marriage-Go-Round: The State of Marriage and the Family in America Today: cherlin@jhu.edu, 410.516.2370.

For further information on singles and sexual health, contact Adina Nack, Associate Professor of Sociology at California Lutheran University and author of Damaged Goods? Women Living with Incurable Sexually Transmitted Diseases: 805.493.3438, nack@callutheran.edu, www.adinanack.com.

For a perspective on single sexuality in midlife and beyond, contact Pepper Schwartz, Professor of Sociology, University of Washington, and author of Prime: Adventures and Advice on Sex, Love, and the Sensual Years: couples@u.washington.edu, 206.543.4036.

September 15, 2009

Beyond the Stereotypes: Hispanic/Latino Families

September 15, 2009

CONTACT: Ruth E. Zambrana
Professor of Women’s Studies
Director, Consortium on Race, Gender, and Ethnicity
University of Maryland, College Park
rzambran@umd.edu; 301.405.3447

and Laura A. Logie
Assistant Director, Consortium on Race, Gender, and Ethnicity
University of Maryland, College Park
llogie@umd.edu; 301.405.1651

Changing the Face of America: Latino/Hispanic Families

Over the last 30 years the Latino/Hispanic population in the United States has grown seven times faster than the population of the nation as a whole. Hispanics currently represent almost 15 percent of the U.S. population and within the next two decades are expected to constitute a full quarter of Americans. Although often treated as a monolithic ethnic group, Latina/os differ in their racial and ethnic identities, religious beliefs, health status, socioeconomic status, and language patterns. Lumping ALL these groups under the rubric of “Latino” or “Hispanic” masks important demographic and socioeconomic differences and perpetuates negative stereotypes.

Latina/os are a Mosaic of People

The Hispanic/Latino montage represents 43 Spanish-speaking countries, including Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Hondurans, Cubans, Dominicans, Costa Ricans, Salvadorans, Colombians, Bolivians, Guatemalans, and Peruvians. Latina/os are a diverse mixture of European, indigenous, American Indian, and African backgrounds.

Immigration: 7 of every 10 Latinos are currently U.S. citizens, either by birth or by naturalization

Contemporary Latino communities are a complex mix of native-born and immigrant families. Approximately 60 percent of all Latinos were born in the United States and are therefore U.S. citizens by birth. Another 10 percent were foreign-born and have since become naturalized citizens. People born in Puerto Rico are considered native born because they are U.S. citizens by birth.

A majority (52 percent) of the nation’s 16 million Hispanic children are now “second generation,” meaning they are the U.S.-born sons or daughters of at least one foreign-born parent, typically someone who came to this country in the immigration wave from Mexico, Central America and South America that began around 1980. And 37 percent are “third generation or higher” — meaning they are the U.S.-born children of U.S.-born parents and often U.S.-born grandparents as well.

Latino Families DO Speak English

The majority of U.S. Latinos were born in the continental United States, and their first language is English. Contrary to popular belief, the majority of U.S Latino’s do not need to learn English through somewhere like AJ Hoge’s Effortless English Club, though there are some that do, and many more people of other nationalities that learn English way. About 31 million United States residents speak Spanish at home- making Spanish the second-most spoken language in the country. But according to the U.S. Census Bureau, a majority of those who speak languages other than English at home report themselves already proficient in English, and young immigrants (those ages 5 to 17) almost always speak English over their native tongues by adulthood.

Latino Families Care about Education

A commonly-held stereotype is that Latino parents do not value education. However, one recent study found that 95 percent of Latino parents believe it s important for their children to attend college, compared to 78 percent of Whites and 94 percent of Blacks. And 94 percent of Latino parents report that they have a lot or some influence over their children’s education, compared to 88 percent of Whites and 91 percent of Black parents.

One out of Every Two Latinos is a Homeowner

Over half of Mexican Americans own their own home. By 2012, it is estimated that 40 percent of the nation’s first-time homebuyers in the United States will be Hispanic.

19.5 Million Latinos Vote

The number of Latino eligible voters increased 21.4% between 2004 and 2008, the largest percentage increase of any group, and a rate of growth that outstripped the increase in the adult Latino population overall, which was only 13.7%.

About the Authors

Ruth E. Zambrana is Professor of Women’s Studies and Director of The Consortium on Race, Gender, and Ethnicity at the University of Maryland, College Park. Contact her at rzambran@umd.edu and 301.405.3447. Laura A. Logie is Assistant Director of The Consortium on Race, Gender, and Ethnicity at the University of Maryland, College Park. Contact her at llogie@umd.edu and 301.405.1651.

For Further Information

For further information on Latinos’ diverse experiences in a changing America, contact the Pew Hispanic Center at 202.419.3606 or info@pewhispanic.org. Founded in 2001, the Pew Hispanic Center is a nonpartisan research organization that seeks to improve understanding of the U.S. Hispanic population and to chronicle Latinos’ growing impact on the nation.

For further information on gender and generational issues, family separations and reunifications during migration, acculturation stresses, and trans national families, contact Dr. Falicov, Professor of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego: cfalicov@ucsd.edu, 619.683.7755.

For further information on health care access and health disparities, Latino family health, immigant families in the USA, refugee families, and collaborative health care including use of social media, contact Dr. Bacigalupe, Associate Professor and Family Therapy Program Director, Department of Counseling and School Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Boston: Gonzalo.bacigalupe@umb.edu, 617.872.3249.

For further information on immigrant teens as well as on domestic violence and prevention, contact Etiony Aldarondo, Associate Dean for Research and Director, Dunspaugh-Dalton Community and Educational Well-Being Research Center, School of Education, University of Miami: etiony@miami.edu, 305.284.4372. Dr. Aldarondo is speaking at the CCF April 2010 conference on “Real and Imaginary Borders: Unaccompanied Immigrant Children in the US.”

About CCF

The Council on Contemporary Families is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to providing the press and public with the latest research and best-practice findings about American families. Our members include demographers, economists, family therapists, historians, political scientists, psychologists, social workers, sociologists, as well as other family social scientists and practitioners. Founded in 1996 and based at the University of Miami, the Council’s mission is to enhance the national understanding of how and why contemporary families are changing, what needs and challenges they face, and how these needs can best be met.