Kinlessness in adult and old age across Europe

In this work we estimate the prevalence of older adults aged 50 and more without close kin in several European countries. Using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), we examine the prevalence of lacking different types and combinations of living kin, considering how kinlessness vary over time and at different ages. In 2019-2020, the prevalence of adults aged 50 and above who lacked a partner/spouse ranged between 22% and 47% across countries, while the prevalence of childless individuals between 4% and 14%. We detected a large variation of kinlessness across countries and age groups. This is of interest to policy makers because kinlessness is associated with poorer economic and health conditions, living alone, and unmeet care needs. Aging research should address the implications of kinlessness for public health, social isolation, and the demand for institutional care.