Nick Buck

Identifying Neighbourhood Effects on Social Exclusion

Interest in the influence of the neighbourhood on the life-chances of individuals has been increasing. However, methodological problems in identifying causal models of these influences suggest the need for caution in such inference. This paper uses data from the British Household Panel Study linked to local area characteristics to explore how far there is evidence that outcomes associated with social exclusion (non-monetary poverty measures, measures of labour market engagement, entry into jobs and flows in and out of poverty) may be associated with neighbourhood characteristics. The paper finds significant associations even when controlling for a substantial range of individual characteristics. There is also limited evidence of a non-linear effect with worse outcomes in the very worst areas for at least one measure. Analysis of the spatial scale of associations suggests mixed results, with stronger associations at the most local scales for some but not all outcomes.

She's Leaving Home: But Why? An Analysis of Young People Leaving the Parental Home.

In this article we use data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics to build on existing work concerning the timing and the process of leaving home to the different destinations of marriage and independent living in the United States....We find that among recent cohorts the trend has been towards leaving later particularly so for men. Moreover young people are more likely to leave to independent living and are less likely to leave to marriage....We also find substantial [effects from]...factors such as race and region characteristics of the family of origin the young persons own income resources and contextual variables such as unemployment. In particular we find that short-term changes in characteristics of family background have an important influence on the timing and destination of departures. (EXCERPT)

Understanding Society – The UK Household Longitudinal Survey: A Resource for Demographers

Many demographers are already familiar with the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS), conducted from 1991 forward (Buck et al. 1994). The BHPS has been heavily used by researchers within and outside the United Kingdom (UK) and by government departments, resulting in more than 150 publications per year. The potential for scientific advance has led to the UK Household Longitudinal Survey- (UKHLS). This new survey was modeled on the BHPS and is the largest and most ambitious panel survey in the world. We describe this new social and health survey and some of the opportunities it offers for research in demography and health.