The demographics of same-sex marriages in Norway and Sweden
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Longitudinal population-register cohort study (applied by design analogy).
OpenAlex W2144811502 · doi:10.1353/dem.2006.0001
What was done
The authors analyzed longitudinal population register data from Norway and Sweden encompassing all individuals entering registered partnerships (same-sex unions) alongside heterosexual marriages. They examined demographic profiles—including age, sex, geographic background, prior opposite-sex marriage, parenthood, and educational attainment—and compared divorce risks and dynamics between same-sex and opposite-sex couples.
What was found
Demographic distributions varied substantially depending on the sex composition of the couples. While the general patterns of divorce risk were similar between same-sex and opposite-sex marriages, the overall levels of divorce risk were considerably higher among same-sex couples. The divorce risk for female partnerships was double that for male partnerships. The abstract provides no exact numerical counts, percentages, or hazard ratios.
Why it matters
This study provides population-level comparative evidence from two early-adopting Nordic countries on the demographic profiles and union stability of legal same-sex partnerships relative to opposite-sex marriages.
Limits
The abstract omits exact sample sizes, follow-up durations, and quantitative effect estimates with confidence intervals. Findings reflect registered partnerships under Norwegian and Swedish legal contexts prior to 2006 and may not generalize to different legal frameworks, cultures, or more recent cohorts.
Cited by
- partial Gay male married couples have a divorce rate around 30%, whereas lesbian married couples have a divorce rate around 60%.