Time Use, Health, and Well-Being across the Life Cycle: A Gender Analysis

M. Pilar Matud (), Juan Manuel Bethencourt, José del Pino Mᵃ, D. Estefanía Hernández-Lorenzo, Demelsa Fortes and Ignacio Ibáñez
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M. Pilar Matud: Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychobiology and Methodology, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 San Cristobal de la Laguna, Spain
Juan Manuel Bethencourt: Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychobiology and Methodology, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 San Cristobal de la Laguna, Spain
José del Pino Mᵃ: Department of Sociology, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
D. Estefanía Hernández-Lorenzo: Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychobiology and Methodology, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 San Cristobal de la Laguna, Spain
Demelsa Fortes: Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychobiology and Methodology, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 San Cristobal de la Laguna, Spain
Ignacio Ibáñez: Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychobiology and Methodology, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 San Cristobal de la Laguna, Spain

Social Sciences, 2024, vol. 13, issue 6, 1-23

Abstract: Although time use is one of people’s most important resources, there are social forces and inequalities that shape how time is used. The aim of this research is to examine gender differences in time use from adolescence to old age and to analyze the association of such use with sociodemographic characteristics and with women’s and men’s health and well-being. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 5700 women (54.2%) and men (45.8%) from the Spanish general population, aged 14 to 85 years. Participants were assessed using five self-reported measures of time use, health, mental symptoms, psychological well-being, life satisfaction, social support, and masculine/instrumental and feminine/expressive traits. The results showed that although there were important differences in life cycle stage and occupation, women spent more time than men on housework, childcare, and caring for sick relatives, while men spent more time than women on enjoying activities and exercise. More time spent on housework was associated with worse health and well-being for women and more exercise with better health and well-being for both genders. It is concluded that gender is relevant to time use and the impact of different uses of time on health and well-being.

Keywords: time use; gender; self-rated health; psychological well-being; life satisfaction; mental symptoms; masculine/instrumental trait; feminine/expressive trait; unpaid work (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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