Combining Parenthood With Career in Sweden: A contributing cause of ill health and sickness absence in the 60s and 70s.

By Birgitta Floderus

The options for young people to combine parenthood and career are of major importance to the development of working life and society.

Between 1963 and 2002 the proportion of working men fell from 89% to 76% while the proportion of working women rose from 53% to 73%.

At the same time, difficulties balancing family life and working life may be contributing to the diminishing number of childbirths. A research project underway aims to understand under which circumstances parenthood and working can be successfully combined, and under which circumstances there can be a negative effect on health and well-being. The study population comprises all women born in Sweden between 1960 and 1979 (approx. one million) as well as the men married to or co-habiting with the women at the time the children were born. Sickness absence in the period 1990-2003 will be analysed as well.

(Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research Newsletter October 2005)