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Does cancer affect the divorce rate?

Author

Listed:
  • Astri Syse

    (Folkehelseinstituttet (Norwegian Institute of Public Health))

  • Øystein Kravdal

    (Universitetet i Oslo)

Abstract

Discrete-time hazard regression models were employed to register and census data on 1.4 million Norwegian married couples from 1974-2001 to explore the probability of divorce following cancer illness. Divorce rates for around 215 000 persons diagnosed with cancer were compared to divorce rates for persons for whom all the other observed variables were the same. No overall harmful influence of a cancer diagnosis was observed. Most cancer forms resulted in small, immediate declines in divorce rates the first years following diagnosis. Exceptions were significant increases in the divorce rates for persons diagnosed with cervical and testicular cancer.

Suggested Citation

  • Astri Syse & Øystein Kravdal, 2007. "Does cancer affect the divorce rate?," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 16(15), pages 469-492.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:16:y:2007:i:15
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2007.16.15
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Solveig Glestad Christiansen & Øystein Kravdal, 2023. "Union Status and Disability Pension," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 39(1), pages 1-19, December.
    2. Jeon, Sung-Hee & Pohl, R. Vincent, 2017. "Health and work in the family: Evidence from spouses’ cancer diagnoses," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 1-18.
    3. Christiaan W. S. Monden & Wilfred J. G. Uunk, 2013. "For Better and for Worse: The Relationship Between Union Dissolution and Self-Assessed Health in European Panel Data," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 29(1), pages 103-125, February.
    4. Yati Afiyanti & Ariesta Milanti, 2013. "Physical sexual and intimate relationship concerns among Indonesian cervical cancer survivors: A phenomenological study," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(2), pages 151-156, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    divorce; Norway; cancer; illness; marital stability; cervical cancer; testicular cancer;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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