Although this behavior is more frequent among men, unions in which women are older than men are increasing.  From 1996 to 2006, these unions increased from 5.6 million to 7.6 million, which represented a growth of 36%, according to the National Household Sample Survey – Pnad.  In the same period, unions between older men and younger women increased less (25.3%), from 22.3 million to 27.9 million.  In the total family arrangements formed by a couple, the percentage of unions in which women were 5 to 29 years older than men increased.  The study of IBGE also showed interesting information as for example: the level of schooling of female heads of household married to men at least 19 years younger was, on the average, one year less than men. Also, the female heads of household with difference of age of 30 years or more in relation to their partners earned, on the average, three times more than their partners. These and other comparisons may be found in Age differences between couples in Brazilian families: a study based on the Pnads 1996 and 2006 released today by IBGE.

The data of Pnad 2006 showed that in the case of men older than women (27.9 million unions) the difference of age was concentrated in the groups up to 4 years of difference (45.8% of the families) and between 5 and 9 years (34.4% of the families).  In the case of women older than men (7.6 million unions), the difference of age was mainly lower than five years (64.7%).  Between 1996 and 2006, there was a gradual change of behavior with an increase of families where women were older than men.  The major change occurred in family arrangements where the difference of age of women to men was 10 to 14 years (0.9 percentage points), which represented, in 2006, 592 thousand unions.

In families where women were older than men and this difference surpassed 10 years (927 thousand families) it could be observed that, between 1996 and 2006, the proportion of family arrangements increased from 10.4% to 12.1%; in absolute terms this growth was above the one observed for family arrangements where the difference of age was below 10 years (59.5% compared to 33.7%). For families in which the age of men was above the one of women in more than 10 years, the variation of the proportion in the period was from 19.3% to 19.8%.

The unions of older men with considerably younger women according to Pnad can also be observed.  The family arrangements where the difference of age of men to women was from 15 to 29 years increased from 6.6 % to 7.2 %, changing from 1.4 million to 2.0 million.  It is worth mentioning that, in all the country, the average age of women in the first wedding, according to the Civil Register Statistics was three years lower than the one of men (25 years old, while the one of men was 28 years old).  

While analyzing the average schooling years of men and women according to the difference of age between them, the study observed that this was not a determinant aspect of the unions.  Nevertheless, two specific cases drew the attention: in the first one, in which men had 15 to 19 years more than women, and had the position of partner (the woman was head), it could be observed a major difference of schooling years among the couple, since women had on the average 1.4 more years of study.  In the second case, for female heads of household with age at least 19 years older than men, the average schooling years of women was lower than the one of men in 1 year.  The analysis of the average schooling years of the couple also showed that the couples with major difference of age had a lower average of years of study.

Regarding the income, on the average women earned approximately 70% of the income earned by men.  In the case of families in which men were older than women (73% of the arrangements composed by couple), if men were heads of household, women earned on the average 33% of the income of men (1).

Considering this same type of arrangement, but where men were the partners (women were heads), women also earned less than men, on the average 65%.  The only exception was observed in families where the difference of age between the couple was 20 to 29 years, where the female heads of household younger than their partners had an income 18% higher.

Women older than men gained more when they were heads of household

In family arrangements where women were older than men, if women were heads, they had an income above the one of their partners in almost all the arrangements according to the differences of age, except in the group from 1 to 4 years, in which men earned 9% more than women. On the other hand, it is worth mentioning than in the case of women older than men, the difference of income of the couple increased as increased the difference of age.  For women with an age difference of 30 years or more in relation to their partner, the income of the partner represented only 25% of the income of women.  

In the cases in which women were older than men, but had the position of partner, women had a lower average income. This difference diminished as increased the difference of age between the couple, showing how the income was important in the classification of the person of reference in the family.

In relation to the levels of employment of the couple, it may be observed that the results were close to the pattern observed for men and women in the labor market as a whole (on the average approximately 70% for men and 50% for women).  As increased the differences of age, diminished the level of employment, which was expected as a consequence of one member of the couple having an older age.  Another aspect observed was the direct relation between the position of the head and the levels of employment (these levels tend to be higher when the person is head).  

Two other aspects are worth mentioning: in the arrangements in which men were older than women and the age difference was 30 years or more, the level of employment of women was approximately 42%, below the one observed for the total population. One hypothesis to explain such result may be the fact that in families in which the female partner was considerably younger, there could have been a pressure in the family for her to work at home in household activities.  On the other hand, in the case in which women had a considerably older age than men, the low level of employment may be showing the reduction of female activity with this age, as well as a major difficulty of entrance in the labor market or inactivity due to retirement.

In Brazil, there are significant inequalities between the urban and rural areas nevertheless this study did not present such an unequal behavior.  In relation to family arrangements formed by couple with the item age difference, it could be observed that in the rural area the proportion of arrangements with women older than man was lower (16.7%).  In the arrangements in which men were older than women, in the groups of higher difference of age (above 9 years), the proportion of arrangements was 22.2%, while for the total country the proportion was 19.8%.

Note

(1) In the calculation of the average income from all sources, persons without income were also considered.