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Educational differences in all-cause mortality by marital status

Author

Listed:
  • Iliana Kohler

    (University of Pennsylvania)

  • Pekka Martikainen

    (Helsingin Yliopisto (University of Helsinki))

  • Kirsten P. Smith

    (University of Pennsylvania)

  • Irma T. Elo

    (University of Pennsylvania)

Abstract

Using life table measures, we compare educational differentials in all-cause mortality at ages 40 to 70 in Bulgaria to those in Finland and the United States. Specifically, we assess whether the relationship between education and mortality is modified by marital status. Although high education and being married are associated with lower mortality in all three countries, absolute educational differences tend to be smaller among married than unmarried individuals. Absolute differentials by education are largest for Bulgarian men, but in relative terms educational differences are smaller among Bulgarian men than in Finland and the U.S. Among women, Americans experience the largest education-mortality gradients in both relative and absolute terms. Our results indicate a particular need to tackle health hazards among poorly educated men in countries in transition.

Suggested Citation

  • Iliana Kohler & Pekka Martikainen & Kirsten P. Smith & Irma T. Elo, 2008. "Educational differences in all-cause mortality by marital status," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 19(60), pages 2011-2042.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:19:y:2008:i:60
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2008.19.60
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Zajacova, Anna & Hummer, Robert A., 2009. "Gender differences in education effects on all-cause mortality for white and black adults in the United States," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(4), pages 529-537, August.
    2. Vladimir M. Shkolnikov & Evgeny M. Andreev & Dmitri A. Jdanov & Domantas Jasilionis & Tapani Valkonen, 2009. "To what extent do rising mortality inequalities by education and marital status attenuate the general mortality decline? The case of Finland in 1971-2030," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2009-018, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    3. Alyson van Raalte & Pekka Martikainen & Mikko Myrskylä, 2014. "Lifespan Variation by Occupational Class: Compression or Stagnation Over Time?," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(1), pages 73-95, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Finland; marital status; United States of America; Bulgaria; educational differentials; all-cause mortality; life table measures;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

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

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