@article{Ruiz Vallejo_44_48,
author = {Ruiz Vallejo, Fernando and Boertien, Diederik},
title={{Do same-sex unions dissolve more often than different-sex unions? Methodological insights from Colombian data on sexual behavior}},
journal = {Demographic Research},
volume = {44},
number = {48},
pages = {1149--1164},
doi = {10.4054/DemRes.2021.44.48},
year = {2021},
abstract = {Background: Conclusions about differences in union dissolution rates between same-sex couples and different-sex couples vary across studies and countries. Previous research identifies same-sex couples solely using information on the sex of partners. 

Objective: To investigate how the measures used to identify same-sex couples affect conclusions regarding differences in dissolution rates between different-sex and same-sex unions in the stigmatized context of Colombia. 

Methods: We use rich retrospective data from the Colombian DHS 2015 on the duration of 63,462 unions, including 1,051 same-sex unions. An important feature of this survey is that respondents are also asked about their sexual behavior. 

Results: Similar to previous studies on the United States, estimates solely based on the reported sex of partners show that cohabiting same-sex couples are as likely to separate as cohabiting different-sex couples in Colombia. However, excluding same-sex unions of persons who reported never having had sex with someone of the same sex, same-sex unions are considerably more likely to end in separation than different-sex unions. 

Conclusions: The same-sex unions of persons who report having had sex with someone of the same sex are more likely to end in separation than different-sex unions in Colombia. 

Contribution: We show how substantive conclusions about the relative stability of same-sex unions depend on how same-sex unions are identified. To reduce the influence of possible miscoding on conclusions we recommend combining various measures to identify same-sex unions. },
URL = {https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol44/48/},
eprint = {https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol44/48/44-48.pdf}
}