Inequalities in Poverty and Income between Single Mothers and Fathers
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional analysis of nationwide census survey data (rated by design analogy).
OpenAlex W2995805328 · doi:10.3390/ijerph17010135
What was done
Cross-sectional study using nationwide census data (n = 1135) to evaluate disparities in taxable income, total income, non-work income, and poverty status between single mothers and single fathers. Multivariate regression models were used to assess the effects of gender, age, marital status, years of experience, and geographic region.
What was found
The abstract reports directions of association without providing numeric effect sizes, standard errors, or confidence intervals. Single fathers had higher taxable income and total income than single mothers, whereas single mothers had higher non-work income. Single mothers were more likely to fall into the poverty crisis category. Multivariate analyses showed that gender, age, marital status, years of experience, and region significantly affected taxable income, while gender, marital status, and region significantly affected poverty status.
Why it matters
This study demonstrates that income and poverty disparities persist between single mothers and single fathers, identifying single mothers as an economically vulnerable group even after controlling for demographic factors.
Limits
The abstract provides no exact numerical values, percentages, or effect sizes. As a cross-sectional study, it cannot establish causal pathways. Key confounders such as specific occupation, hours worked, and number of children were not reported in the abstract.
Cited by
- context 90% of single-parent households in the United States are headed by women.