Do older parents’ assistance needs deter parent-child geographic divergence in Norway?

• Published in: Health & place 2021-07, Vol.70, p.102599-102599, Article 102599
• Main Authors: Artamonova, Alyona, Syse, Astri
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult children; Children; Fathers; Formal care needs; Geographic variation; Health care; Health technology assessment; Home health care; Internal migration; Municipalities; Norway; Nursing; Older parents; Parents; Parents & parenting; Population register data; Proximity; Regression analysis; Regression models; Single mothers; Sociodemographics; Utilisation of public care services
• ISSN: 1353-8292; 1873-2054
• DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2021.102599

The role of intergenerational geographic proximity in individuals' migration decisions has been well-established. The circumstances under which parents and their adult children move away from or remain close to each other are, however, less clear. Drawing on Norwegian register data for 2014–2016 and three-level logistic regression models, we examine whether formal care needs of older parents (aged ≥65) deter parent-child geographic divergence and whether variation in the likelihood of divergence is associated with municipal-level characteristics. After accounting for location-specific capital and parents' and children's sociodemographic characteristics, parents and children were less likely to diverge after the onset of parental care needs. Utilising in-home nursing decreased the likelihood of divergence for mothers while utilising institutionalised care decreased the likelihood of divergence for fathers. The use of in-home nursing care among single mothers further reduced the likelihood of divergence. Parents and adult children living in central areas were the least likely to diverge geographically. The likelihood of intergenerational divergence was lower for fathers and children living in municipalities with high healthcare spending. •Close older parent-adult child geographic proximity may facilitate caregiving.•Parents and children are less likely to diverge when parents develop care needs.•Using some formal care services decreases the likelihood of parent-child divergence.•In-home nursing care for mothers without partners markedly reduces divergence.•There are small between-municipality differences in the likelihood of divergence.