Astrid Riecken/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST - Julie Guyot-Diangone takes her children outside to play near their home. Guyot-Diangone is a single mom and the sole breadwinner.
In a trend accelerated by the recent recession and an increase in births to single mothers, nearly four in 10 families with children under the age of 18 are now headed by women who are the sole or primary breadwinners for their families, according to a report released Wednesday by the Pew Research Center.
The report reveals a sweeping change in traditional gender roles and family life over a few short decades: The number of married mothers who out-earn their husbands has nearly quadrupled, from 4 percent in 1960 to 15 percent in 2011. Single mothers, who are sole providers for their families, have tripled in number, from 7 to 25 percent in the same period
No good news here. A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that suicide rates among middle-aged Americans have risen dramatically over the last decade. Between 1999 and 2010, suicide among 35- to 64-year-olds jumped almost 30 percent—most pronounced among men in their 50s. The baby-boomer suicide rise is complex, but experts say they believe it's connected to the years of economic downturn and access to prescription medication.