C A Mair
Biographic Data
| ID | 26802 |
|---|---|
| NAME | C A Mair |
| GIVEN NAMES | C A |
| FAMILY NAME | Mair |
| SIGNATURE | MAIR C A |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Maryland, Baltimore County |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-8813-6532 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 27 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 172 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 27 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2009 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 8 |
Friend and Neighbour Ties Among Unpartnered, Childless and ‘Kinless’ Older Adults in Europe
Declining fertility, increased geographic mobility and changes in nuclear families have contributed to the rise of older adults who are unpartnered, childless or both unpartnered and childless (‘kinless’). For this growing global population, non‐family ties such as friends and neighbours may be particularly important. Although often conflated, friends and neighbours represent distinct ties that often provide different resources, with neighbours b…
“Kinlessness”, friend and family support, and cognitive function by region and urbanicity in the United States
Family structure and social support are important determinants of cognitive health in later life, yet little is known about how their associations with cognition vary across geographic contexts. This study examines how cognitive function among older adults varies by family structure, region, and urbanicity, with particular attention to the buffering effects of friend and extended family support. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (20…
Navigating aging and health with limited family ties across societies
The Value of Friendship Among Aging Populations Without Partners and Children Across 87 Low-, Middle-, and High-Income Countries
Rising life expectancy, declining fertility, and changing partnership patterns are disrupting traditional families and may increase the importance of friendship in later life. Older adults without partners or children (e.g., unpartnered, childless, and “kinless”) might rely more on friendships for support. Yet, friendship remains understudied in aging research, especially across diverse global contexts. This study uses data from the World Values …
Limited family ties, friendship, and contextual variation in loneliness risk across 25 countries
Family structure, “Kinlessness”, and cognitive decline
Family Availability, ‘Kinlessness’, Covid Stringency, and Loneliness in 26 Countries
Loneliness became an increasing concern during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially as countries enacted “physical distancing” mitigation measures. Under these conditions, older adults with limited family availability (e.g., unpartnered, childless, and “kinless”) might have been at higher loneliness risk, or perhaps were more accustomed to less social interaction. Using individual-level data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe…
An Intersectional Approach to Examining Breast Cancer Screening among Subpopulations of Black Women in the United States
Immigrant Status and Social Ties
Diverse social ties are critical facilitators of well-being among older adults. Social ties might be especially important for aging immigrants who face multiple social and economic vulnerabilities over the life course. We investigated social ties (e.g., partners, children, other family, and friends) by immigrant status among older adults in the United States (U.S.). Data come from the 2018 Health and Retirement Study (N = 4,006), a national sampl…
Examining Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Coping and Stress Within an Environmental Riskscape
Less Is (Often) More
We observe a greater probability that more children are associated with poorer health in later life, especially for chronic conditions and depression. However, a universal global or regional pattern could not be identified. These findings raise new questions about how country contexts shape fertility and health
Exploring Neighborhood Social Environment and Social Support in Baltimore
Intervention efforts include social support as a mechanism to promote well-being in diverse communities. Cultivating support can be complex, particularly in disadvantaged urban communities. This complexity is compounded by a lack of studies that attempt to map associations between urban neighborhood environments and social support exchanges. Authors address this gap by analyzing data from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the…
Alternatives to Aging Alone
This article challenges dominating assumptions about "aging alone" that rely heavily on lack of family as an indicator of "alone." Future studies of "kinlessness" should consider the extent to which friendship is correlated with lack of kin, particularly in more socioeconomically developed countries. Previous research on "aging alone" may have overestimated risk in more privileged countries that already emphasize friendship, but underestimated ri…
Childlessness and Health Among Older Adults
We discuss these findings in light of the meaning of childlessness, as well as cross-national economic, social, and cultural contexts to provide suggestions for aging policy and future research
Who in the World Cares? Gender Gaps in Attitudes toward Support for Older Adults in 20 Nations
Previous cross-national research suggests that women may be less likely to prefer family-based support to older adults and more likely to prefer government-based support compared to men. Guided by theories of gendered paid and unpaid labor, social network resources and strain, and global inequality, this paper investigates whether a gender gap in attitudes exists and, if so, whether it can be explained by characteristics of family, work, social n…
Individual Troubles, Shared Troubles
Although the negative association between unemployment and life satisfaction is well documented, much theoretical and empirical controversy surrounds the question of how unemployment actually shapes life satisfaction. Previous studies suggest that unemployment may endanger subjective well-being through individual experiences, contextual influences, or a combination of both. Drawing on data from the World and European Values Surveys, National Acco…
Race/Ethnic Differentials in the Health Consequences of Caring for Grandchildren for Grandparents
Cross-National Patterns of Social Capital Accumulation
Cultural and institutional context has the potential to moderate life course patterns of social interaction and network connectivity, yet few have attempted to empirically assess this claim. Contrasting collectivist versus individualistic cultural traditions, as well as socialist versus capitalist institutions, we develop and test a set of propositions regarding age-based variation in daily contact, occupational connections, and organizational me…
Race/Ethnic Differentials in the Health Consequences of Caring for Grandchildren for Grandparents
Our findings suggest that the health consequences of grandchild care are mixed across different racial/ethnic groups and are further shaped by individual characteristics as well as perhaps cultural context
Family Ties and Health Cross-Nationally
This article underscores the complexity of family and highlights the need for continued theorization and measurement at the nation level to promote older adults' health in diverse contexts
Teaching Community Networks
Despite the prominence of teaching in academia, we know little about how graduate students learn to teach. We propose the concept of a teaching community network (TCN), an informal social network that facilitates the exchange of teaching-specific resources. We explore the role of TCNs through a case study of a sociology doctoral program at a large state university. Results reveal that students rely heavily on informal ties within the graduate stu…
Psychological well-being of the institutionalized and community-residing oldest old in China
Intergenerational Ties in Context
Guided by theories and empirical research on intergenerational relationships, we examine the phenomenon of grandparents caring for grandchildren in contemporary China. Using a longitudinal dataset (China Health and Nutrition Survey), we document a high level of structural and functional solidarity in grandparent-grandchildren relationships. Intergenerational solidarity is indicated by a high rate of coresidence between grandchildren and grandpare…
Allostatic load in an environmental riskscape
The socio-spatial neighborhood estimation method
Social Capital Across the Life Course
Despite increasing research interest in network dynamics and cumulative advantage/disadvantage processes, little remains known about how social capital varies across the life course. While some researchers suggest that social capital increases with age and others argue the opposite, this study tests these contradictory assertions by analyzing multiple indicators of social capital from a nationally representative data set on working-age U.S. respo…
Alternatives to Aging Alone
This article challenges dominating assumptions about "aging alone" that rely heavily on lack of family as an indicator of "alone." Future studies of "kinlessness" should consider the extent to which friendship is correlated with lack of kin, particularly in more socioeconomically developed countries. Previous research on "aging alone" may have overestimated risk in more privileged countries that already emphasize friendship, but underestimated ri…
Race/Ethnic Differentials in the Health Consequences of Caring for Grandchildren for Grandparents
Our findings suggest that the health consequences of grandchild care are mixed across different racial/ethnic groups and are further shaped by individual characteristics as well as perhaps cultural context
Childlessness and Health Among Older Adults
We discuss these findings in light of the meaning of childlessness, as well as cross-national economic, social, and cultural contexts to provide suggestions for aging policy and future research
Teaching Community Networks
Despite the prominence of teaching in academia, we know little about how graduate students learn to teach. We propose the concept of a teaching community network (TCN), an informal social network that facilitates the exchange of teaching-specific resources. We explore the role of TCNs through a case study of a sociology doctoral program at a large state university. Results reveal that students rely heavily on informal ties within the graduate stu…
Allostatic load in an environmental riskscape
Psychological well-being of the institutionalized and community-residing oldest old in China
The socio-spatial neighborhood estimation method
Family Ties and Health Cross-Nationally
This article underscores the complexity of family and highlights the need for continued theorization and measurement at the nation level to promote older adults' health in diverse contexts
Cross-National Patterns of Social Capital Accumulation
Cultural and institutional context has the potential to moderate life course patterns of social interaction and network connectivity, yet few have attempted to empirically assess this claim. Contrasting collectivist versus individualistic cultural traditions, as well as socialist versus capitalist institutions, we develop and test a set of propositions regarding age-based variation in daily contact, occupational connections, and organizational me…
Rural Retirement Migration , by David L. Brown and Nina Glasgow with contributions from Laszlo J. Kulcsar, Benjamin C. Bolender, and Marie‐Joy Arguillas
Social Capital Across the Life Course
Despite increasing research interest in network dynamics and cumulative advantage/disadvantage processes, little remains known about how social capital varies across the life course. While some researchers suggest that social capital increases with age and others argue the opposite, this study tests these contradictory assertions by analyzing multiple indicators of social capital from a nationally representative data set on working-age U.S. respo…
Intergenerational Ties in Context
Guided by theories and empirical research on intergenerational relationships, we examine the phenomenon of grandparents caring for grandchildren in contemporary China. Using a longitudinal dataset (China Health and Nutrition Survey), we document a high level of structural and functional solidarity in grandparent-grandchildren relationships. Intergenerational solidarity is indicated by a high rate of coresidence between grandchildren and grandpare…
Allostatic load in an environmental riskscape
The socio-spatial neighborhood estimation method
Teaching Community Networks
Despite the prominence of teaching in academia, we know little about how graduate students learn to teach. We propose the concept of a teaching community network (TCN), an informal social network that facilitates the exchange of teaching-specific resources. We explore the role of TCNs through a case study of a sociology doctoral program at a large state university. Results reveal that students rely heavily on informal ties within the graduate stu…
Psychological well-being of the institutionalized and community-residing oldest old in China
Family Ties and Health Cross-Nationally
This article underscores the complexity of family and highlights the need for continued theorization and measurement at the nation level to promote older adults' health in diverse contexts
Race/Ethnic Differentials in the Health Consequences of Caring for Grandchildren for Grandparents
Our findings suggest that the health consequences of grandchild care are mixed across different racial/ethnic groups and are further shaped by individual characteristics as well as perhaps cultural context
Individual Troubles, Shared Troubles
Although the negative association between unemployment and life satisfaction is well documented, much theoretical and empirical controversy surrounds the question of how unemployment actually shapes life satisfaction. Previous studies suggest that unemployment may endanger subjective well-being through individual experiences, contextual influences, or a combination of both. Drawing on data from the World and European Values Surveys, National Acco…
Race/Ethnic Differentials in the Health Consequences of Caring for Grandchildren for Grandparents
Cross-National Patterns of Social Capital Accumulation
Cultural and institutional context has the potential to moderate life course patterns of social interaction and network connectivity, yet few have attempted to empirically assess this claim. Contrasting collectivist versus individualistic cultural traditions, as well as socialist versus capitalist institutions, we develop and test a set of propositions regarding age-based variation in daily contact, occupational connections, and organizational me…
Who in the World Cares? Gender Gaps in Attitudes toward Support for Older Adults in 20 Nations
Previous cross-national research suggests that women may be less likely to prefer family-based support to older adults and more likely to prefer government-based support compared to men. Guided by theories of gendered paid and unpaid labor, social network resources and strain, and global inequality, this paper investigates whether a gender gap in attitudes exists and, if so, whether it can be explained by characteristics of family, work, social n…
Alternatives to Aging Alone
This article challenges dominating assumptions about "aging alone" that rely heavily on lack of family as an indicator of "alone." Future studies of "kinlessness" should consider the extent to which friendship is correlated with lack of kin, particularly in more socioeconomically developed countries. Previous research on "aging alone" may have overestimated risk in more privileged countries that already emphasize friendship, but underestimated ri…
Childlessness and Health Among Older Adults
We discuss these findings in light of the meaning of childlessness, as well as cross-national economic, social, and cultural contexts to provide suggestions for aging policy and future research
Exploring Neighborhood Social Environment and Social Support in Baltimore
Intervention efforts include social support as a mechanism to promote well-being in diverse communities. Cultivating support can be complex, particularly in disadvantaged urban communities. This complexity is compounded by a lack of studies that attempt to map associations between urban neighborhood environments and social support exchanges. Authors address this gap by analyzing data from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the…
Examining Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Coping and Stress Within an Environmental Riskscape
Less Is (Often) More
We observe a greater probability that more children are associated with poorer health in later life, especially for chronic conditions and depression. However, a universal global or regional pattern could not be identified. These findings raise new questions about how country contexts shape fertility and health
An Intersectional Approach to Examining Breast Cancer Screening among Subpopulations of Black Women in the United States
Immigrant Status and Social Ties
Diverse social ties are critical facilitators of well-being among older adults. Social ties might be especially important for aging immigrants who face multiple social and economic vulnerabilities over the life course. We investigated social ties (e.g., partners, children, other family, and friends) by immigrant status among older adults in the United States (U.S.). Data come from the 2018 Health and Retirement Study (N = 4,006), a national sampl…
Family Availability, ‘Kinlessness’, Covid Stringency, and Loneliness in 26 Countries
Loneliness became an increasing concern during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially as countries enacted “physical distancing” mitigation measures. Under these conditions, older adults with limited family availability (e.g., unpartnered, childless, and “kinless”) might have been at higher loneliness risk, or perhaps were more accustomed to less social interaction. Using individual-level data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe…
Friend and Neighbour Ties Among Unpartnered, Childless and ‘Kinless’ Older Adults in Europe
Declining fertility, increased geographic mobility and changes in nuclear families have contributed to the rise of older adults who are unpartnered, childless or both unpartnered and childless (‘kinless’). For this growing global population, non‐family ties such as friends and neighbours may be particularly important. Although often conflated, friends and neighbours represent distinct ties that often provide different resources, with neighbours b…
“Kinlessness”, friend and family support, and cognitive function by region and urbanicity in the United States
Family structure and social support are important determinants of cognitive health in later life, yet little is known about how their associations with cognition vary across geographic contexts. This study examines how cognitive function among older adults varies by family structure, region, and urbanicity, with particular attention to the buffering effects of friend and extended family support. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (20…
Navigating aging and health with limited family ties across societies
The Value of Friendship Among Aging Populations Without Partners and Children Across 87 Low-, Middle-, and High-Income Countries
Rising life expectancy, declining fertility, and changing partnership patterns are disrupting traditional families and may increase the importance of friendship in later life. Older adults without partners or children (e.g., unpartnered, childless, and “kinless”) might rely more on friendships for support. Yet, friendship remains understudied in aging research, especially across diverse global contexts. This study uses data from the World Values …
Health disparities and outcomes (17 works) · Psychology (17 works) · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving (16 works) · Medicine (13 works) · Sociology (13 works) · Gerontology (12 works) · Geography (9 works) · Population (8 works) · Political science (7 works) · Social Psychology (7 works)