Age at the first union
6.3 How old was (Name) when married or lived in free union (for the first time)?

6.3 Age at the first union

This question has as its objective to know the age at which people formed a union or married for the first time, given that it marks an important change in the life of individuals in demographic, economic and social terms.

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The age at the first union is understood to be the number of completed years that a person has when married (religious or civilly) or formed a union for the first time.

Write down the declared age in the corresponding space.
[graphic of the question from the census form]

It is necessary to keep in mind the following considerations:

If the answer in 6.1 is any code from 1 to 5 and only has had one union, this question is asked without including the final phrase in parenthesis (for the first time).

Keep in mind the answers of 6.1 and 6.2 to adapt the sentence "married or formed a union." For example:

Case 1

If the civil state is free union and only has had one union (6.2 = 1), ask:

"How old was (Name) when a union was formed?"

Case 2

If the civil state is married or divorced and only has had one union (6.2 = 1), ask:

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"How old was (Name) when married?

In the rest of the cases, ask the complete question.

When an informant responds that this age is not know, ask to relate it with some event that took place around this date.

For example, ask in what year did the first union occur and revise the current age. If someone is 30 years old and their first union was in 1988, subtract this from the current year (1995) which gives the result of 7; and the current age (30) subtracting 7, is 23, that is, the age of the first union.

If after trying to get an answer by many means and not getting it, as a last recourse write down 99, "does not know."

Once the question is asked, if a person is married or united and only had one union, go to question 7.1, therefore leave 6.4 blank.