Relationships and Health 395of males and 56% of females over 18 in the
United States were married, although the
rate was much lower among Blacks (44%
male; 37% female) than Asians (65% male
and female), Whites (55% male; 54% female),
and Hispanics (56% male; 58% female; U.S.
Census Bureau, 2009a). The percentage of
the population marrying has decreased while
the percentage of people who are divorced
and never married has increased. In 2009,
30% of men and 23% of adult women had
never married (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010b),
but these numbers varied greatly by race.
Figures for never-married males and females
were comparable among Whites and Asians
(White: 26% male; 19% female; Asian: 28%
male; 19% female) but much larger for Blacks
(43% male; 41% female) and much lower for
Hispanics (4% male; 5% female).
Nonetheless, most young adults say
that they want to get married (Pew Research,
2007), although African American adoles-
cents have lower expectations than their
White and Mexican American counterparts
(Crissey, 2005). African Americans are less
likely to marry than other groups in part due
to socioeconomic factors (Bulanda & Brown,
2007). There are proportionally fewer
African American men with stable jobs,
and economic problems lead to family con-
flict. Although Hispanics share some of the
same economic problems, Hispanic culture
attaches greater value to marriage whereas
African American culture emphasizes the
importance of the extended family.Evidence
In 1957, Hannah Lees wrote the bookHelp
Your Husband Stay Alive.She expressed con-
cern over the fact that men die younger than
women and the sex difference in longevity
was widening. She suggested that women
were not living up to their duty of helpingrelationships. There also are greater expecta-
tions for relationships: Marriage is expected
to provide a source of intimacy, sexuality, and
companionship. Thus people have increasing
expectations of marriage, and marriage may be
less likely to meet those expectations. It is also
much easier to dissolve a marriage today than it
was in the middle of the 20th century, and soci-
ety is more tolerant of marital breakups.
Thus, one characteristic of modern mar-
riage is that it is less likely to last. In 2004, 23%
of women and 21% of women had been di-
vorced at least one time (U.S. Census Bureau,
2007b). The rates were higher among Whites
(24%) than Blacks (19%), Hispanics (13%),
and Asians (9%). See Table 11.1 for a list of
factors that decrease one’s risk of divorce.
Although the divorce rate increased over
much of the 20th century, peaking in 1981, it
has steadily decreased since that time (Cen-
ters for Disease Control and Prevention, 2005,
2009d). One reason that divorce rates have
stabilized is that women and men wait longer
before they marry, and older age at first mar-
riage is less likely to result in divorce. Today,
the median age of marriage is 28 for men and
26 for women (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010a).
The marriage rate also has declined
in recent years, in part due to increased co-
habitation and in part due to people waiting
longer before getting married. In 2008, 59%TABLE 11.1 FACTORS THAT PROTECT AGAINST
DIVORCE DURING THE FIRST 10 YEARS OF MARRIAGE- higher income
- having a baby seven months or more after
marriage (as compared to before marriage) - at least age 25 at marriage
- parents married (rather than divorced)
- religious affiliation
- higher education
Source: Bramlett and Mosher (2002).
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