A study by scientists from the Vienna Institute of Demography and others shows that, on average, women over 50 in Europe are less socially integrated than men. Social integration, as measured by the number of close relationships, the frequency of contact, and participation in activities such as volunteering or joining clubs, is crucial for physical and mental health, particularly in ageing societies.

Based on around 54,000 interviews from the SHARE survey across 21 European countries, the research examines how gender differences in social integration are shaped by welfare systems and the distribution of care work. Although women often maintain strong family ties, they are more likely than men to take on unpaid caregiving responsibilities. These duties can limit their ability to build and maintain social connections outside the family.

In 'familialistic' care regimes, such as those in Italy, Greece and Poland, families bear most caregiving responsibilities. In these contexts, women over 50 tend to be less socially integrated than men. Austria and Germany have a similar but smaller gender gap and are considered "supported familialistic" regimes. By contrast, Nordic countries such as Denmark and Sweden, which provide extensive public care services, demonstrate higher levels of overall integration, with even greater social participation among women than men.

While causal relationships cannot be proven, these findings suggest that a stronger public care infrastructure, flexible working arrangements and expanded eldercare services could significantly improve women's social integration.

www.demografische-forschung.org/artikel/2026/1/3