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August 29, 2024 | News | SPOTLIGHT
A recent study shows that reducing childhood obesity could reduce inequalities in emotional problems. Socioeconomic inequalities in adolescent mental health are also explained by the unequal distribution of childhood obesity. Children from low socioeconomic status (SES) families have more emotional problems because obesity rates are higher in this group. However, there is no evidence that obesity is more detrimental to mental health in some socioeconomic groups than in others. more
August 14, 2024 | News
Our well-being partly depends on the family constellations we are embedded in. The intergenerational position is particularly decisive, a new study says. more
July 29, 2024 | Press Release
Each year, hundreds of thousands of people are affected by armed conflict, both directly, through loss of life, or indirectly, through the loss of family members. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, CED – Centre d’Estudies Demogràfics and the University of Washington studied the extent and duration of grief among those who lost immediate family members in high-intensity conflicts. Their finding reveals that for every casualty, multiple loved ones carry the trauma for the rest of their lives. In Syria, for example, each death leaves an average of four relatives - parents and/or children - devastated. Bereavement can persist for decades, hindering reconciliation and potentially escalate future levels of violence. This study underscores the need for timely and effective conflict resolution and dedicated support for mourners. more
July 22, 2024 | Press Release
Single mothers often experience poorer mental health and lower life satisfaction due to increased stress, financial insecurity, and less support in everyday life. A study by the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research and Tilburg University reveals that new partnerships can improve the life satisfaction of single mothers, especially through increased financial resources. Long-term partnerships increase ' satisfaction compared to more frequent partner changes, and despite financial advantages, a new partner does not usually bring relief around household chores to the household.
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July 17, 2024 | News | Video
Open Science addresses concerns about the reliability of scientific research and is gaining traction in various fields. Ugofilippo Basellini's paper reviews the state of openness in demographic research and finds significant progress in open access, but less so in the availability of open software code. The study emphasizes the importance of sharing software code to advance the field and proposes recommendations to encourage this practice. Basellini advocates for a culture of openness, emphasizing the need for supportive feedback, incentives, and training to encourage code sharing. more
June 28, 2024 | News | New Faces at MPIDR
The Laboratory of Fertility and Well-Being welcomes Md Anwer Hossain as a member to the team. Anwer joins MPIDR coming from the Department of Social Relations of the East West University in Bangladesh where he worked as a lecturer and taught undergraduate students in the Population and Public Health Sciences program. more
June 26, 2024 | Defo News
In the current issue of Demografischen Forschung Aus Erster Hand you can read about new calculations on the decline in births in times of crisis, how family constellations influence well-being and what influence norms have on the decision to have a child. more
June 25, 2024 | News
Climate change has many widespread and complicated effects on the well-being of people and the planet, and a new study in iScience on June 13 has now added a surprising one to the list. After analyzing the language used in seven million parliamentary speeches around the world, it shows that high temperatures lead to a significant and immediate reduction in politicians’ language complexity. more
June 14, 2024 | News | Award
On June 12, former MPIDR researcher Jiaxin Shi was awarded the Otto Hahn Medal in Munich for his doctoral thesis on "Mortality Inequality and Its Implications for Retirees". The medal was awarded at the annual meeting of the Max Planck Society. In his thesis, Jiaxin presented four studies on mortality inequality that advance the knowledge of how life expectancy differs across social groups and the implications for retirees. The results of his work show that the greater longevity of socially advantaged groups accounts for up to a quarter of lifetime pensions. more
June 05, 2024 | Press Release
A study by the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) shows that, in contrast to Finland, from midlife mothers in Italy and the US work significantly fewer years than fathers, especially if they have two and more children. The researchers highlight that better support and work opportunities for mothers not only improves their retirement security, but also helps stabilize pension systems. more