Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health

The Korean Society for Preventive Medicine (대한예방의학회)
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Socioeconomic Status and Number of Children Among Korean Women: The Healthy Twin Study

  • Kim, Jinseob (Preventive Medicine Program, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University) ;
  • Sung, Joohon (Preventive Medicine Program, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University)
  • Received : 2012.07.02
  • Accepted : 2012.12.28
  • Published : 2013.01.31
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Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate whether the birth rate is associated with socioeconomic status in the women of the Republic of Korea, where the birth rate is rapidly decreasing. Methods: This study included 732 females from the Healthy Twin Study, a family-twin cohort. The participants were classified into 3 socioeconomic groups according to their average income, education, and occupation. The association between socioeconomic status and number of children was assessed using gamma regression analysis with a generalized linear mixed model, adjusting for the age group, smoking/alcohol status, and family relationships. Results: The group with the highest education level had significantly fewer children compared with the group with the lowest education level (p=0.004). However, no significant associations were found according to household income level. The non-manual labor group had significantly fewer children compared with those working as homemakers (p=0.008). Conclusions: This study aimed to explain the causal relationship between socioeconomic status and number of children. Associations between some socioeconomic status and number of children were found in Korea.

Keywords

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