Codes
This variable is not available for any of the currently selected samples.
Description
MARSTATMN (MV501) reports the man's current marital status. Response categories and question wording vary across surveys. See Comparability.
Comparability
Along with universe differences, MARSTATMN (MV501) differs in the degree of detail provided on the man's current union status. IPUMS-DHS uses composite coding to preserve this detail while maximizing comparability across samples. The responses "Married" and "Living together" share a common first digit of 2, with the second digit preserving the detail. Similarly, the responses "Widowed," "Divorced," and "Separated/not living together" share a common first digit of 3, with the second digit distinguishing among these categories. Analysts using samples with differing levels of detail in MARSTATMN may collapse detailed categories into broad categories based on the first digit to achieve comparability across samples.
As suggested by the varying degree of detail in MARSTATMN, there is considerable variation in the structure and wording of questions collecting information on current marital status. MARSTATMN covers three overlapping issues: (1) current union status (none, married, or, for most samples, living with a woman); (2) past union status for those not currently in a union; and (3) legal marital status for those not currently married but ever in union. Some surveys embed a question about whether men who are not married or living with a woman have a regular sex partner, but responses to that query are not incorporated into MARSTATMN.
Significant changes over time in MARSTATMN information for a country, and major deviations from common practice, are noted below. Researchers focusing on marriage practices and union formation/dissolution should consult question wording and response categories for samples of interest with care.
Comparability - Standard DHS
Questions relating to marital status in the standard DHS questionnaires changed over time. The opening question, "Have you ever been married or lived with a woman?" added the phrase "as if married" to "lived with a woman" beginning in Phase V.
In Phases I and II, the remaining information for MARSTATMN (MV501) was collected through the following single question: "Are you now married or living with a woman, or are you now widowed, divorced, or no longer living together?"
Beginning with Phase III, the standard questionnaire used two follow-up questions instead:
1) "Are you currently married or living with a woman?" and 2) "What is your marital status now: are you widowed, divorced, or separated?"
