The unequal distribution of sibling and parent deaths by race and its effect on attaining a college degree

Naomi Harada Thyden; Nicole M. Schmidt; Theresa L. Osypuk

doi:10.1016/j.annepidem.2020.03.002

The unequal distribution of sibling and parent deaths by race and its effect on attaining a college degree

Naomi Harada Thyden, Nicole M. Schmidt, Theresa L. Osypuk

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

PURPOSE: Examine (1) the distribution of experiencing the death of a parent or sibling (family death) by race/ethnicity and (2) how a family death affects attaining a college degree.

METHODS: Participants (n = 8984) were from National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 aged 13-17 at baseline in 1997 and 29-32 in 2013. We examined the prevalence of family deaths by age group and race/ethnicity and used covariate-adjusted logistic regression to assess the relationship between a family death and college degree attainment.

RESULTS: A total of 4.2% of white youth experienced a family death, as did 5.0% of Hispanics, 8.3% of Blacks, 9.1% of Asians, and 13.8% of American Indians (group test P < .001). A family death from ages 13-22 was associated with lower odds of obtaining a bachelor's degree by ages 29-32 (OR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.50, 0.84), compared with no family death. The effect of a death was largest during college years (age 19-22) (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.39, 0.82).

CONCLUSIONS: Young people of color are more likely to have a sibling or parent die; and family death during college years is associated with reduced odds of obtaining a college degree. Racial disparities in mortality might affect social determinants of health of surviving relatives, and college policies are a potential intervention point.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	76-82.e1
Journal	Annals of epidemiology
Volume	45
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2020.03.002
State	Published - May 2020

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grant R01 HD090014 (Dr. Osypuk, PI). The authors gratefully acknowledge support from the Minnesota Population Center ( P2C HD041023 ) funded through a grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development . Funders did not have any role in design or conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; or preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Inc.

Keywords

Bereavement
Education
Health disparities
Social determinants of health
Ethnic Groups/statistics & numerical data
United States
Humans
Male
Educational Status
African Americans/statistics & numerical data
Socioeconomic Factors
Young Adult
Academic Success
Indians, North American/statistics & numerical data
Social Determinants of Health
Hispanic Americans/statistics & numerical data
Parental Death/ethnology
Adolescent
Adult
Female
Siblings/ethnology
Longitudinal Studies

PubMed: MeSH publication types

Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.annepidem.2020.03.002

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@article{f33e3b223e9d4e4a8d67f6c27c831734,

title = "The unequal distribution of sibling and parent deaths by race and its effect on attaining a college degree",

abstract = "PURPOSE: Examine (1) the distribution of experiencing the death of a parent or sibling (family death) by race/ethnicity and (2) how a family death affects attaining a college degree.METHODS: Participants (n = 8984) were from National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 aged 13-17 at baseline in 1997 and 29-32 in 2013. We examined the prevalence of family deaths by age group and race/ethnicity and used covariate-adjusted logistic regression to assess the relationship between a family death and college degree attainment.RESULTS: A total of 4.2% of white youth experienced a family death, as did 5.0% of Hispanics, 8.3% of Blacks, 9.1% of Asians, and 13.8% of American Indians (group test P < .001). A family death from ages 13-22 was associated with lower odds of obtaining a bachelor's degree by ages 29-32 (OR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.50, 0.84), compared with no family death. The effect of a death was largest during college years (age 19-22) (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.39, 0.82).CONCLUSIONS: Young people of color are more likely to have a sibling or parent die; and family death during college years is associated with reduced odds of obtaining a college degree. Racial disparities in mortality might affect social determinants of health of surviving relatives, and college policies are a potential intervention point.",

keywords = "Bereavement, Education, Health disparities, Social determinants of health, Ethnic Groups/statistics & numerical data, United States, Humans, Male, Educational Status, African Americans/statistics & numerical data, Socioeconomic Factors, Young Adult, Academic Success, Indians, North American/statistics & numerical data, Social Determinants of Health, Hispanic Americans/statistics & numerical data, Parental Death/ethnology, Adolescent, Adult, Female, Siblings/ethnology, Longitudinal Studies",

author = "Thyden, {Naomi Harada} and Schmidt, {Nicole M.} and Osypuk, {Theresa L.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grant R01 HD090014 (Dr. Osypuk, PI). The authors gratefully acknowledge support from the Minnesota Population Center ( P2C HD041023 ) funded through a grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development . Funders did not have any role in design or conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; or preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 Elsevier Inc.",

year = "2020",

month = may,

doi = "10.1016/j.annepidem.2020.03.002",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "45",

pages = "76--82.e1",

journal = "Annals of epidemiology",

issn = "1047-2797",

publisher = "Elsevier Inc.",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The unequal distribution of sibling and parent deaths by race and its effect on attaining a college degree

AU - Thyden, Naomi Harada

AU - Schmidt, Nicole M.

AU - Osypuk, Theresa L.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grant R01 HD090014 (Dr. Osypuk, PI). The authors gratefully acknowledge support from the Minnesota Population Center ( P2C HD041023 ) funded through a grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development . Funders did not have any role in design or conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; or preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript. Publisher Copyright: © 2020 Elsevier Inc.

PY - 2020/5

Y1 - 2020/5

N2 - PURPOSE: Examine (1) the distribution of experiencing the death of a parent or sibling (family death) by race/ethnicity and (2) how a family death affects attaining a college degree.METHODS: Participants (n = 8984) were from National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 aged 13-17 at baseline in 1997 and 29-32 in 2013. We examined the prevalence of family deaths by age group and race/ethnicity and used covariate-adjusted logistic regression to assess the relationship between a family death and college degree attainment.RESULTS: A total of 4.2% of white youth experienced a family death, as did 5.0% of Hispanics, 8.3% of Blacks, 9.1% of Asians, and 13.8% of American Indians (group test P < .001). A family death from ages 13-22 was associated with lower odds of obtaining a bachelor's degree by ages 29-32 (OR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.50, 0.84), compared with no family death. The effect of a death was largest during college years (age 19-22) (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.39, 0.82).CONCLUSIONS: Young people of color are more likely to have a sibling or parent die; and family death during college years is associated with reduced odds of obtaining a college degree. Racial disparities in mortality might affect social determinants of health of surviving relatives, and college policies are a potential intervention point.

AB - PURPOSE: Examine (1) the distribution of experiencing the death of a parent or sibling (family death) by race/ethnicity and (2) how a family death affects attaining a college degree.METHODS: Participants (n = 8984) were from National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 aged 13-17 at baseline in 1997 and 29-32 in 2013. We examined the prevalence of family deaths by age group and race/ethnicity and used covariate-adjusted logistic regression to assess the relationship between a family death and college degree attainment.RESULTS: A total of 4.2% of white youth experienced a family death, as did 5.0% of Hispanics, 8.3% of Blacks, 9.1% of Asians, and 13.8% of American Indians (group test P < .001). A family death from ages 13-22 was associated with lower odds of obtaining a bachelor's degree by ages 29-32 (OR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.50, 0.84), compared with no family death. The effect of a death was largest during college years (age 19-22) (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.39, 0.82).CONCLUSIONS: Young people of color are more likely to have a sibling or parent die; and family death during college years is associated with reduced odds of obtaining a college degree. Racial disparities in mortality might affect social determinants of health of surviving relatives, and college policies are a potential intervention point.

KW - Bereavement

KW - Education

KW - Health disparities

KW - Social determinants of health

KW - Ethnic Groups/statistics & numerical data

KW - United States

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Educational Status

KW - African Americans/statistics & numerical data

KW - Socioeconomic Factors

KW - Young Adult

KW - Academic Success

KW - Indians, North American/statistics & numerical data

KW - Social Determinants of Health

KW - Hispanic Americans/statistics & numerical data

KW - Parental Death/ethnology

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Female

KW - Siblings/ethnology

KW - Longitudinal Studies

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U2 - 10.1016/j.annepidem.2020.03.002

DO - 10.1016/j.annepidem.2020.03.002

M3 - Article

C2 - 32371043

AN - SCOPUS:85084117998

SN - 1047-2797

VL - 45

SP - 76-82.e1

JO - Annals of epidemiology

JF - Annals of epidemiology

ER -

The unequal distribution of sibling and parent deaths by race and its effect on attaining a college degree

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

PubMed: MeSH publication types

UN SDGs

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Black and Native American Youth More Likely to Experience Family Death, Lower Graduation Rates

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The unequal distribution of sibling and parent deaths by race and its effect on attaining a college degree

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

PubMed: MeSH publication types

UN SDGs

Publisher link

Find It

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Press/Media

Black and Native American Youth More Likely to Experience Family Death, Lower Graduation Rates

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