AUTHOR=Zhu Yingrun , Yu Xiao , Jiang Quanbao 

TITLE=Marital duration in China: Trends and gender differences, 1982–2015

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.831147

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2022.831147

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=This study measured single, marriage, divorce, and widowhood duration of Chinese men and women from 1982-2015 utilizing Sullivan’s method and analyzing data-based developing trends and gender difference, and reaching the following conclusions. (1) The single duration of Chinese men and women was slightly reduced and then extended, with that of men longer than women, showing a narrowing trend in gender difference. (2) The marriage duration of Chinese men and women is lengthening, with that of women longer than men, demonstrating a widening gap in gender difference. However, the proportion of marriage duration in life expectancy increased and then declined, with that of men higher than women. (3) The divorce duration of Chinese men slightly reduced and then lengthened, while that of women kept lengthening, but men tend to stay divorced for longer periods than women, and the gender difference is narrowing. (4) The widowhood duration of Chinese men and women is shortening, with women having longer widowhood than men, and the gender difference has been shrinking. These findings help to understand the marital and population change in China.