Household Trade-Offs and Household Structure (15.5.2)
There is also a notable association between household structure and reporting direct trade-offs between necessities (Table 15.5.2).
Table 15.5.2
HAVING SENIORS OR CHILDREN AND HOUSEHOLD TRADE-OFFS
|
All Households |
Households with Seniors |
Households with Children, No Seniors |
One-Person Households with Neither Children nor Seniors |
Households with Two or More People but with Neither Children nor Seniors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Choose between food and medical carea |
|
|
|
|
|
Yes |
31.6% |
28.7% |
34.3% |
28.6% |
36.4% |
No |
68.4% |
71.3% |
65.7% |
71.4% |
63.6% |
TOTAL |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
SAMPLE SIZE (N) |
51,496 |
11,423 |
15,856 |
16,422 |
7,795 |
Choose between food and utilities or heating fuelb |
|
|
|
|
|
Yes |
41.4% |
30.8% |
52.4% |
34.8% |
47.5% |
No |
58.6% |
69.2% |
47.6% |
65.2% |
52.5% |
TOTAL |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
SAMPLE SIZE (N) |
51,484 |
11,428 |
15,861 |
16,402 |
7,793 |
Choose between food and rent or mortgagec |
|
|
|
|
|
Yes |
34.9% |
19.5% |
42.6% |
34.7% |
41.2% |
No |
65.1% |
80.5% |
57.4% |
65.3% |
58.8% |
TOTAL |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
SAMPLE SIZE (N) |
51,445 |
11,401 |
15,855 |
16,398 |
7,791 |
Notes:
In calculating percentages and sample sizes, we excluded item nonresponses to all variables involved.
Statistically significant based on chi-square test (d.f. = 4) at the 1% level.
Many of the results shown in Table 15.5.2 mimic correlations seen earlier between income and household structure. In general, households with children are more likely than others to report having to make a trade-off between food and other necessities.
- 28.7% of households with seniors and 34.3% of households with children and no seniors reported making trade-offs between food and medical care, compared with 31.5% for the whole population.
- The comparable percentages for trade-offs between food and utilities were 30.8% for households with seniors and 52.4% for households with children but no seniors, compared with 41.4% for the whole population.
- For the trade-off between food and rent (or mortgage payments), 42.6% of households with children but no seniors had to face the trade-off, compared with only 19.5% of households with seniors.