Family structure and health inequalities in Europe: Findings form the latest EU-SILC

Background

Health and individual well-being are commonly understood to be shaped by a range of recognized factors such as sociodemographic characteristics, economic conditions, behavioral patterns, and/ or environmental influences. Nevertheless, the body of empirical literature highlighting the significant role of the familiar context in shaping health outcomes/ results remains these days is underdeveloped. Then, the main objective of this study is to assess how family structure shapes health inequalities in Europe.

Methods

Our study adopts a comparative cross-sectional design based on pooled data from multiple waves of the EU-SILC (2019-2024). Multivariate logistic regression models are employed to examine the association between family structure (single-parent vs. two-parent households) and and adverse health outcomes, progressively adjusting for demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status and lifestyle-related factors. Analyses are stratified by gender and include country fixed effects to account for cross-national heterogeneity.

Results

The results show that single-parent households experience significantly worse health outcomes than two-parent households across most European countries. Both single mothers and single fathers face health disadvantages, although the magnitude of these inequalities differs by gender. Socioeconomic characteristics explain a substantial part of the observed health gap, while lifestyle factors provide additional explanatory power. Nonetheless, health inequalities associated with single parenthood persist after full adjustment.

Conclusions

Family structure emerges as a key determinant of health inequalities in Europe. Policies aimed at reducing health disparities should account for the specific vulnerabilities of single-parent families and promote family-sensitive public health and social interventions.

Key messages

• Family structure could shape health inequalities in Europe.

• A better understanding of the structural disadvantages of lone parenthood can help in the design of efficient interventions to reduce health gaps.