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The Mortality Risk of Raising Grandchildren in the United States

Author

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  • Hongwei Xu
  • John R. Logan
  • Todd K. Gardner

Abstract

In the United States, grandparents who live with and provide primary care to their grandchildren have emerged as a particularly vulnerable group since the 1990s. Using confidential data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Social Security Administration, this study linked individuals aged 50 years or older from the 2000 census long-form sample to their death records from 2000–2019 (weighted n = 64,027,000) and examined the longitudinal association between coresident grandparenting status and mortality for non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians. We found consistently higher rates of mortality for White coresident grandparents and lower rates for Asian coresident grandparents, regardless of the duration of primary caregiving, compared to their peers without coresident grandchildren. We also found increased risks of mortality among Hispanic long-term primary caregivers but reduced risks among Black short-term primary caregivers, compared to their peers without coresident grandchildren.

Suggested Citation

  • Hongwei Xu & John R. Logan & Todd K. Gardner, 2026. "The Mortality Risk of Raising Grandchildren in the United States," Working Papers 26-13, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    • Handle: RePEc:cen:wpaper:26-13
    as

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    File URL: https://www2.census.gov/library/working-papers/2026/adrm/ces/CES-WP-26-13.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hongwei Xu, 2022. "Grandparenting and Cognitive Functioning in China," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(1), pages 285-316, February.
    2. Mary Elizabeth Hughes & Linda J. Waite & Tracey A. LaPierre & Ye Luo, 2007. "All in the Family: The Impact of Caring for Grandchildren on Grandparents' Health," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 62(2), pages 108-119.
    3. Rachel E. Dunifon & Kelly A. Musick & Christopher E. Near, 2020. "Time with Grandchildren: Subjective Well-Being Among Grandparents Living with Their Grandchildren," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 148(2), pages 681-702, April.
    4. Taehyun Ahn & Kyong Duk Choi, 2019. "Grandparent caregiving and cognitive functioning among older people: evidence from Korea," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 553-586, June.
    5. Meredith Minkler & Esme Fuller-Thomson, 2005. "African American Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: A National Study Using the Census 2000 American Community Survey," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 60(2), pages 82-92.
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