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Marital status and mortality: the national longitudinal mortality study
N J Johnson1, E Backlund, P D Sorlie
1Demographic Statistical Methods Division, U.S. Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC 20233, USA.
Annals of Epidemiology
|June 16, 2000
Summary
Marital status significantly impacts mortality risk. All non-married groups, including widowed, divorced, and never-married individuals, face higher death risks compared to married people.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Marital status is a significant social determinant of health.
- Previous research indicates a 'marriage protection effect' on mortality.
- The impact of marital status on mortality across different races and age groups requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between marital status (married, widowed, divorced/separated, never-married) and mortality.
- To analyze these effects across different racial groups (black and white) and age strata (45 years and older).
- To examine the influence of marital status on mortality within the National Longitudinal Mortality Study (NLMS) cohort.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Cox proportional hazards models to estimate relative risks (RR).
- Analyzed a large cohort of 281,460 men and women from the National Longitudinal Mortality Study (NLMS).
- Adjusted for socioeconomic factors to assess the independent effect of marital status on mortality.
Main Results:
- All non-married groups exhibited statistically significant increased mortality risk compared to married individuals.
- Elevated risks were observed across white and black males and females, with younger age groups (45-64) showing higher relative risks.
- Specific causes of death, including cardiovascular diseases and other non-cancer/non-cardiovascular causes, showed significant associations with non-married status.
Conclusions:
- Marital status is a robust predictor of mortality, with non-married individuals consistently facing higher risks.
- The elevated mortality risk associated with non-married status persists even after accounting for socioeconomic factors.
- Findings highlight the public health importance of marital status in understanding population mortality patterns.
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