Marital Status Marital status is classified through self-reporting into the categories married and unmarried. The term married encompasses all married people including those separated from their spouses. Unmarried includes those who are single (never married), divorced, or widowed. The abortion surveillance program classified separated people as unmarried before 1978. In the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), respondents are asked to choose a marital status category that describes their marital situation. Currently married: People not separated from their spouses for reasons of marital discord. Persons living apart for purposes of their employment are considered married. Persons living together as husband and wife are considered married, regardless of legal status. Separated and divorced: Persons who are legally separated or divorced or who are living apart for reasons of marital discord. Widowed: Persons who have lost their spouse because of death.
Never
married: Persons who were never married and persons who only
marriage was annulled. Living with partner: Persons who are not married but are living together regardless of gender. Birth File--In 1970, 39 States and the District of Columbia (DC) and in 1975, 38 States and DC included a direct question about mother's marital status on the birth certificate. Since 1980 national estimates of births to unmarried women have been based on two methods for determining marital status, a direct question in the birth registration process and inferential procedures. In 1980-96 marital status was reported on the birth certificates of 41-45 States and DC; with the addition of California in 1997, 46 States and DC; and in 1998-2001, 48 States and DC. In 1997, all but four States (Connecticut, Michigan, Nevada, and New York) and, in 1998, all but two States (Michigan and New York) included a direct question about mother's marital status on their birth certificates. In 1998-2001 marital status was imputed as "married" on those 0.03-0.05 percent of birth records with missing information in the 48 States and DC where this information was obtained by a direct question. For States lacking a direct question, marital status was inferred. Before 1980 the incidence of births to unmarried women in States with no direct question on marital status was assumed to be the same as the incidence in reporting States in the same geographic division. Starting in 1980 for States without a direct question, marital status was inferred by comparing the parents' and child's surnames. Inferential procedures in current use depend on the presence of a paternity acknowledgment or missing information on the father. Changes in reporting procedures by some States in 1995 and 1997 had little effect on national totals, but did affect trends for age groups and some State trends.SOURCES: Health, United States and the National Health Interview Survey
This page last reviewed
September 09, 2008
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