Components of changes in nuptiality patterns among Ethiopian women: A decomposition analysis of demographic and health surveys

Abstract

Analyzing shifts in nuptiality patterns plays a significant role in understanding how demographic variables respond to socioeconomic changes. However, there has been a lack of comprehensive research on the sources of changes in nuptiality patterns. This study examines how nuptiality patterns change and investigates the factors linked to changes in two birth cohorts. Data from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 2000 and 2016 were used. Marriage was observed to be early and nearly universal in both birth cohorts. A large proportion of the difference in the cumulative incidence of first marriage between the cohorts was observed at age 15 and decreased after age 35. However, the age of entry into the first marriage was slightly delayed, with a 46% reduction in the rate of marital dissolution. In addition, the compositional and structural impacts of a covariate were responsible for initiating the cumulative incidence of transition to first marriage. Furthermore, women’s education, occupation, and regional variation were identified as the main contributors to the reduction in the cumulative incidence of first marriage. Results show that the changes in nuptiality patterns were explained by a reduction in cumulative incidence of marriage, a shift in the timing of entry into the first marriage, and marital dissolution across the two birth cohorts. Moreover, socioeconomic factors, spatial drivers, and discriminatory effects between the two cohorts were the sources of changes in nuptiality patterns in Ethiopia.

Keywords

Nuptiality pattern / Birth cohort / Decomposition analysis / Ethiopia

Funding

None.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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