This paper analyzes the effects of kin availability and short-term economic stress on mortality among older adults in North Orkney, Scotland in the mid-19th through early 20th century. The mortality of those aged 60+ is associated with high oatmeal prices lagged by one year, a delayed effect that may suggest that buffering mechanisms are less effective in the longer term or that relative to younger groups, older adults are better able to cope with the immediate effects of stress. Associations between mortality risk and indicators of kin availability vary by individual sociodemographic characteristics, but they are limited to close kin in both the spatial and genealogical sense. Benefits of nearby, but not coresident kin accrue only to ever-married men during times of high food prices. Coresident and nearby kin are associated with complex patterns of mortality risk, suggesting that family relationships may represent a resource in some circumstances, but a liability in others. There is limited evidence for the effects of expansive kin support for aging adults and support flows do not always favor the older generation.

中文翻译：

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1851-1911 年苏格兰北奥克尼的亲属获取、经济压力和晚年死亡率


本文分析了 19 世纪中叶至 20 世纪初苏格兰北奥克尼老年人的亲属可用性和短期经济压力对死亡率的影响。60+ 岁人群的死亡率与高燕麦片价格滞后一年有关，这种延迟效应可能表明缓冲机制在长期内效果较差，或者相对于年轻群体，老年人能够更好地应对压力的直接影响。死亡风险与亲属可用性指标之间的关联因个体社会人口学特征而异，但它们仅限于空间和家谱意义上的近亲属。在食品价格高企时期，附近但不是同居亲属的好处仅适用于已婚男性。同居亲属和邻近亲属与复杂的死亡风险模式相关，这表明家庭关系在某些情况下可能是一种资源，但在其他情况下可能是一种负担。关于广泛的亲属支持对老年人的影响的证据有限，而且支持流并不总是有利于老一代。