Family and Health over the Past Decade: Review of Selected Studies and Areas of Future Inquiry

Abstract

Research on the family-health nexus cuts across disciplines, focuses on a broad range of issues, and is set against a backdrop marked by increasing diversity of family structures and households, aging families, and intensifying concerns about health and social inequalities. Over the last decade, a plethora of articles appearing in The Journal of Family and Economic Issues (JFEI) have examined the interplay between family and health. This article attempts to crystallize the primary contributions of this body of work. My discussion is organized around various thematic areas that emerged from the review: (a) childbearing, (b) children’s health, (c) relationships, (d) caregiving, and (e) the impact of health on household finances. I close by sketching out some useful areas for future research in the next decade.