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Partnership Status and Living Situation in Persons Experiencing Physical Disability in 22 Countries: Are There Patterns According to Individual and Country-Level Characteristics?

Author

Listed:
  • Christine Fekete

    (Swiss Paraplegic Research, 6207 Nottwil, Switzerland
    Department of Health Sciences & Medicine, University of Lucerne, 6002 Lucerne, Switzerland)

  • Mohit Arora

    (John Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia
    Sydney Medical School-Northern, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia)

  • Jan D. Reinhardt

    (Swiss Paraplegic Research, 6207 Nottwil, Switzerland
    Department of Health Sciences & Medicine, University of Lucerne, 6002 Lucerne, Switzerland
    Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction of Sichuan University and Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610207, China)

  • Mirja Gross-Hemmi

    (Swiss Paraplegic Research, 6207 Nottwil, Switzerland)

  • Athanasios Kyriakides

    (Spinal Cord Injuries Unit, University of Patras, Rio, 26500 Patras, Greece)

  • Marc Le Fort

    (Neurological Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Department, University Hospital Saint-Jacques, 44093 Nantes, France)

  • Julia Patrick Engkasan

    (Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia)

  • Hannah Tough

    (Swiss Paraplegic Research, 6207 Nottwil, Switzerland
    Department of Health Sciences & Medicine, University of Lucerne, 6002 Lucerne, Switzerland)

Abstract

Persons experiencing disabilities often face difficulties to establish and maintain intimate partnerships and the decision whether to live alone or with others is often not their own to make. This study investigates whether individual and country-level characteristics predict the partnership status and the living situation of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) from 22 countries. We used data from 12,591 participants of the International SCI Community Survey (InSCI) and regressed partnership status and living situation on individual (sociodemographic and injury characteristics) and country-level characteristics (Human Development Index, HDI) using multilevel models. Females, younger persons, those with lower income, without paid work, more severe injuries, and longer time since injury were more often single. Males, older persons, those with higher income, paid work, less severe injuries, and those from countries with higher HDI more often lived alone. This study provides initial evidence for the claim that the partnership status and the living situation of people with SCI are influenced by sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors and are not merely a matter of choice, in particular for those with severe injuries.

Suggested Citation

  • Christine Fekete & Mohit Arora & Jan D. Reinhardt & Mirja Gross-Hemmi & Athanasios Kyriakides & Marc Le Fort & Julia Patrick Engkasan & Hannah Tough, 2020. "Partnership Status and Living Situation in Persons Experiencing Physical Disability in 22 Countries: Are There Patterns According to Individual and Country-Level Characteristics?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-11, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:19:p:7002-:d:418980
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hui Liu & Zhenmei Zhang, 2013. "Disability Trends by Marital Status Among Older Americans, 1997–2010: An Examination by Gender and Race," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 32(1), pages 103-127, February.
    2. Perry Singleton, 2012. "Insult to Injury: Disability, Earnings, and Divorce," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 47(4), pages 972-990.
    3. Genet, Nadine & Kroneman, Madelon & Boerma, Wienke G.W., 2013. "Explaining governmental involvement in home care across Europe: An international comparative study," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(1), pages 84-93.
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