IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/eurpop/v29y2013i1d10.1007_s10680-012-9269-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

For Better and for Worse: The Relationship Between Union Dissolution and Self-Assessed Health in European Panel Data

Author

Listed:
  • Christiaan W. S. Monden

    (University of Oxford)

  • Wilfred J. G. Uunk

    (Tilburg University)

Abstract

We investigate the association between union dissolution and self-assessed health in European panel data. Previous studies suggest that this association might be negative, yet it is unclear to what extent this reflects causation (an effect of union dissolution of health) and/or selection (an effect of health on union dissolution). We analyzed the relationship between self-assessed health and 3,894 union dissolutions in about 60,000 respondents aged 18–59 across eight waves of the European Community Household Panel (ECHP). Fixed-effect panel analyses show that the negative association between dissolution and self-assessed health is not due to a general negative effect of divorce on health. Rather, after union dissolution self-assessed health improves among some individuals, while for others it declines. Compared to being in a union continuously, union dissolution seems to cause increases and decreases in health. We also find evidence for a negative effect of self-assessed health on dissolution risks. This selection effect appears to be associated with being in poor self-assessed health for a prolonged period of time rather than by the immediate effect of a health decline. Our results support the idea that the association between union dissolution and self-assessed health is an outcome of both causation and selection and that the effect of union dissolution on self-assessed health is heterogeneous.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eurpop:v:29:y:2013:i:1:d:10.1007_s10680-012-9269-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s10680-012-9269-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10680-012-9269-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10680-012-9269-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andrew M Jones & Xander Koolman & Nigel Rice, 2005. "Health-related non-response in the BHPS and ECHP: using inverse probability weighted estimators in nonlinear models," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 05/05, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    2. Yuanreng Hu & Noreen Goldman, 1990. "Mortality Differentials by Marital Status: An International Comparison," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 27(2), pages 233-250, May.
    3. Umberson, Debra, 1992. "Gender, marital status and the social control of health behavior," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 34(8), pages 907-917, April.
    4. repec:mpr:mprres:5511 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Arnstein Aassve & Gianni Betti & Stefano Mazzuco & Letizia Mencarini, 2007. "Marital disruption and economic well‐being: a comparative analysis," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 170(3), pages 781-799, July.
    6. Torkild Hovde Lyngstad & Marika Jalovaara, 2010. "A review of the antecedents of union dissolution," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 23(10), pages 257-292.
    7. repec:mpr:mprres:5512 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Sarah Avellar & Pamela J. Smock, "undated". "The Economic Consequences of the Dissolution of Cohabiting Unions," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 1a25307c3333469ea6b866e1b, Mathematica Policy Research.
    9. P. Jenkins, Stephen, 2008. "Marital splits and income changes over the longer term," ISER Working Paper Series 2008-07, Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    10. Mossey, J.M. & Shapiro, E., 1982. "Self-rated health: a predictor of mortality among the elderly," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 72(8), pages 800-808.
    11. Joung, Inez M. A. & van de Mheen, H. Dike & Stronks, Karien & van Poppel, Frans W. A. & Mackenbach, Johan P., 1998. "A longitudinal study of health selection in marital transitions," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 425-435, February.
    12. Waldron, Ingrid & Hughes, Mary Elizabeth & Brooks, Tracy L., 1996. "Marriage protection and marriage selection--Prospective evidence for reciprocal effects of marital status and health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 113-123, July.
    13. Wilfred Uunk, 2004. "The Economic Consequences of Divorce for Women in the European Union: The Impact of Welfare State Arrangements," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 20(3), pages 251-285, September.
    14. 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.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    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. Requena, Miguel & Reher, David, 2021. "Partnership and mortality in mid and late life: Protection or selection?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    3. Espinosa, Javier & Evans, William N., 2008. "Heightened mortality after the death of a spouse: Marriage protection or marriage selection?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 1326-1342, September.
    4. Hayley Fisher & Hamish Low, 2015. "Financial implications of relationship breakdown: Does marriage matter?," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 13(4), pages 735-769, December.
    5. Artazcoz, Lucia & Cortès, Imma & Borrell, Carme & Escribà-Agüir, Vicenta & Cascant, Lorena, 2011. "Social inequalities in the association between partner/marital status and health among workers in Spain," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(4), pages 600-607, February.
    6. Ribar, David C., 2004. "What Do Social Scientists Know About the Benefits of Marriage? A Review of Quantitative Methodologies," IZA Discussion Papers 998, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Bucheli, Marisa & Vigorito, Andrea, 2019. "Union dissolution and well-being in Uruguay," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 61-71.
    8. Wilson, Chris M. & Oswald, Andrew J., 2005. "How Does Marriage Affect Physical and Psychological Health? A Survey of the Longitudinal Evidence," Economic Research Papers 269622, University of Warwick - Department of Economics.
    9. Katalin Kovács, 2005. "Proportionate or concentrated burdens? Health of widowed, divorced and nevermarried in Hungary," Demográfia English Edition, Hungarian Demographic Research Institute, vol. 49(5), pages 104-122.
    10. Sebastian Franke & Hill Kulu, 2018. "Mortality Differences by Partnership Status in England and Wales: The Effect of Living Arrangements or Health Selection?," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 34(1), pages 87-118, February.
    11. Kilpi, Fanny & Konttinen, Hanna & Silventoinen, Karri & Martikainen, Pekka, 2015. "Living arrangements as determinants of myocardial infarction incidence and survival: A prospective register study of over 300,000 Finnish men and women," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 93-100.
    12. Hilke Brockmann, 2012. "Ungesunde Verhältnisse?: Eine Längsschnittanalyse zur Gesundheit von Kindern in zusammen- und getrenntlebenden Familien," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 503, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    13. Kenneth Couch & Christopher Tamborini & Gayle Reznik, 2015. "The Long-Term Health Implications of Marital Disruption: Divorce, Work Limits, and Social Security Disability Benefits Among Men," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 52(5), pages 1487-1512, October.
    14. Anne-Lise Biotteau & Carole Bonnet & Emmanuelle Cambois, 2019. "Risk of Major Depressive Episodes After Separation: The Gender-Specific Contribution of the Income and Support Lost Through Union Dissolution," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 35(3), pages 519-542, July.
    15. Chen, Shuai, 2019. "Marriage, minorities, and mass movements," Other publications TiSEM 9cb1b11d-12e6-46a8-adca-4, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    16. Daniele Vignoli & Giammarco Alderotti & Cecilia Tomassini, 2024. "Partners’ Health and Silver Splits in Europe: A Gendered Pattern?," Econometrics Working Papers Archive 2024_07, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni "G. Parenti".
    17. G. Miller & Yuriy Pylypchuk, 2014. "Marital Status, Spousal Characteristics, and the Use of Preventive Care," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 35(3), pages 323-338, September.
    18. Subramanian, S.V. & Elwert, Felix & Christakis, Nicholas, 2008. "Widowhood and mortality among the elderly: The modifying role of neighborhood concentration of widowed individuals," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(4), pages 873-884, February.
    19. Roos, Eva & Burström, Bo & Saastamoinen, Peppiina & Lahelma, Eero, 2005. "A comparative study of the patterning of women's health by family status and employment status in Finland and Sweden," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 60(11), pages 2443-2451, June.
    20. Michael Geruso, 2012. "Black-White Disparities in Life Expectancy: How Much Can the Standard SES Variables Explain?," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 49(2), pages 553-574, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:eurpop:v:29:y:2013:i:1:d:10.1007_s10680-012-9269-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.