Conjugal Bereavement Effects on Health and Mortality at Advanced Ages

Gerard van den Berg, Maarten Lindeboom () and France Portrait ()
Additional contact information
France Portrait: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

No 2358, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: We specify a model for the lifetimes of spouses and the dynamic evolution of health, allowing spousal death to have causal effects on the health and mortality of the survivor. We estimate the model using a longitudinal survey that traces many health status aspects over time, and that is linked to register data on the vital status of the individuals. The model takes account of selectivity in partners' mortality and health evolution. We find strong instantaneous effects of bereavement on mortality and on certain aspects of health. Individuals lose on average 12 % of residual life expectancy after bereavement. Bereavement affects the share of healthy years in residual lifetime, primarily because healthy years are replaced by years with chronic diseases.

Keywords: elderly couples; life expectancy; disease; health care; longevity; death; impairment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C41 I11 I12 J12 J14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 48 pages
Date: 2006-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Published - published in: Journal of Health Economics, 2011, 30 (4), 774-794

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Related works:
Journal Article: Conjugal bereavement effects on health and mortality at advanced ages (2011)
Working Paper: Conjugal Bereavement Effects on Health and Mortality at Advanced Ages (2007)
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