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[Social inequality and trends in mortality among singles in Norway]
Per-Henrik Zahl1, Marit Rognerud, Bjørn Heine Strand
1Nasjonalt folkkehelseinstitutt, Division for epidemiologi, Oslo.
Background:
Mortality rates are known to be high among singles, a group that has increased over time. Monitoring the health status of singles and identifying high-risk subgroups are valuable efforts for evaluation and planning purposes.
Material And Methods:
Information about household size, income, education and sex among all Norwegians aged 45-59 and 60-69 in 1970, 1980 and 1990 has been linked to mortality data from 1970-77, 1980-87 and 1990-97.
Results:
In the age group 45-59, mortality rates was down by 4 per cent among single men and up by 11 per cent among single women from the 1970s to the 1990s, while mortality rates went down by 38 % among non-single men and 22 % among non-single women. Differences in mortality between singles and others have increased over time for the 45-59 age group, but not for the 60-69 age group. Social inequalities in health are larger among singles.
Interpretation:
In the age group 45-59, single households represent an increasing public health problem. A weakened relative financial position and more singles being divorced are factors of possible significance.