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Wealth and health in 19th Century Sweden. A study of social differences in adult mortality in the Sundsvall region

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  • Edvinsson, Sören
  • Lindkvist, Marie

Abstract

The present article analyses social inequality in mortality in the 19th century Sundsvall region, an area that experienced rapid industrialization after 1850. The purpose of the study is to investigate whether there were social differences in mortality in this context and whether these differences increased during the industrial break-through. The expected advantages for higher social classes could not be confirmed in this environment. Instead, the best survival was found among those belonging to the agricultural sector. We found a strongly gendered pattern, with much higher mortality for and small health differences among men, while the results indicate increasing social inequality in female mortality during industrialization. The spatial pattern of mortality was pronounced and living with a partner had a strong impact on survival, particularly for men. We finally discuss the role of gender and class expectations in relation to lifestyles for the social patterning of mortality.

Suggested Citation

  • Edvinsson, Sören & Lindkvist, Marie, 2011. "Wealth and health in 19th Century Sweden. A study of social differences in adult mortality in the Sundsvall region," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 48(3), pages 376-388, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:exehis:v:48:y:2011:i:3:p:376-388
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    Cited by:

    1. Ohlsson, Henry & Roine, Jesper & Waldenström, Daniel, 2014. "Inherited Wealth over the Path of Development: Sweden, 1810–2010," Working Paper Series 1033, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    2. Tommy Bengtsson & Martin Dribe & Jonas Helgertz, 2020. "When Did the Health Gradient Emerge? Social Class and Adult Mortality in Southern Sweden, 1813–2015," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(3), pages 953-977, June.
    3. Hannaliis Jaadla & Ellen Potter & Sebastian Keibek & Romola Davenport, 2020. "Infant and child mortality by socio‐economic status in early nineteenth‐century England," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 73(4), pages 991-1022, November.
    4. Inwood, Kris & Oxley, Les & Roberts, Evan, 2022. "The mortality risk of being overweight in the twentieth century: Evidence from two cohorts of New Zealand men," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    5. Francisco J. Marco-Garcia & Víctor A. Luque de Haro, 2023. "The persistence of social inequality in adult mortality in rural Spain, death cohorts 1546-2010," Working Papers 0238, European Historical Economics Society (EHES).
    6. Johan Junkka & Glenn Sandström & Lotta Vikström, 2020. "The emergence of social gaps in mental health: A longitudinal population study in Sweden, 1900-1959," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(4), pages 1-17, April.
    7. Joacim Rocklöv & Sören Edvinsson & Per Arnqvist & Sara Sjöstedt De Luna & Barbara Schumann, 2014. "Association of Seasonal Climate Variability and Age-Specific Mortality in Northern Sweden before the Onset of Industrialization," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-15, July.
    8. Bengtsson, Tommy & van Poppel, Frans, 2011. "Socioeconomic inequalities in death from past to present: An introduction," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 48(3), pages 343-356, July.
    9. Volha Lazuka & Luciana Quaranta & Tommy Bengtsson, 2016. "Fighting Infectious Disease: Evidence from Sweden 1870–1940," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 42(1), pages 27-52, March.
    10. Gagnon, Alain & Tremblay, Marc & Vézina, Hélène & Seabrook, Jamie A., 2011. "Once were farmers: Occupation, social mobility, and mortality during industrialization in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec 1840-1971," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 48(3), pages 429-440, July.
    11. Hannaliis Jaadla & Allan Puur & Kaja Rahu, 2017. "Socioeconomic and cultural differentials in mortality in a late 19th century urban setting: A linked records study from Tartu, Estonia, 1897-1900," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 36(1), pages 1-40.
    12. Luque de Haro, Víctor A. & Pujadas-Mora, Joana M. & García-Gómez, José J., 2021. "Inequality in mortality in pre-industrial southern Europe during an epidemic episode: socio-economic determinants (eighteenth - nineteenth centuries Spain)," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 40(C).
    13. Sören Edvinsson & Göran Broström, 2012. "Old age, health and social inequality," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 26(23), pages 633-660.
    14. Aldashev, Gani & Guirkinger, Catherine, 2012. "Deadly anchor: Gender bias under Russian colonization of Kazakhstan," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 49(4), pages 399-422.
    15. Kolk, Martin, 2017. "SRRD_2016_10 Kolk & Hällsten Demographic and Educational Success of Decendants.pdf (Version: 1)," OSF Preprints ehupd, Center for Open Science.

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