Mortality of cohabitants with common children versus married with children: a study based on Norwegian register-data 1987-2003

Svenn-Erik Mamelund, University of Oslo

The association between marital status and mortality has been analyzed in many studies. However, marital status is now a less suitable indicator of social relations than a few decades ago, in particular in the Nordic countries. This paper uses event history techniques and Norwegian register data to estimate effects on mortality of consensual unions and parenthood, as well as marital status history. The longitudinal and individual-level data covers the whole population, while most other studies with similar data have analyzed very small sample sizes. The following questions will be addressed: 1. How is the cause-specific mortality rates among cohabitants with common children compared to those of the married? 2. Have the differences diminished over time? 3. Do the mortality risks of cohabitants with common children change if marrying each other? 4. Do the mortality risks after a break-up of cohabitation with common children differ from that of a corresponding divorce?