The role of marriage in the causal pathway from economic conditions early in life to mortality

Gerard van den Berg and Sumedha Gupta

Journal of Health Economics, 2015, vol. 40, issue C, 141-158

Abstract: This paper analyzes the interplay between early-life conditions and marital status, as determinants of adult mortality. We use individual data from Dutch registers (years 1815–2000), combined with business cycle conditions in childhood as indicators of early-life conditions. The empirical analysis estimates bivariate duration models of marriage and mortality, allowing for unobserved heterogeneity. Results show that conditions around birth and school going ages are important for marriage and mortality. Men typically enjoy a protective effect of marriage, whereas women suffer during childbearing ages. However, having been born under favorable economic conditions reduces female mortality during childbearing ages.

Keywords: Death; Recession; Life expectancy; Lifetimes; Marital status (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C41 E32 I12 J14 N13 N33 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (41)

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Related works:
Working Paper: The role of marriage in the causal pathway from economic conditions early in life to mortality (2011)
Working Paper: The Role of Marriage in the Causal Pathway from Economic Conditions Early in Life to Mortality (2011)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:40:y:2015:i:c:p:141-158

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2014.02.004

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