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Effects of spouses' socioeconomic characteristics on mortality among men and women in a Norwegian longitudinal study

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  • Skalická, Vera
  • Kunst, Anton E.

Abstract

A partner's socioeconomic characteristics can influence one's own health. Nevertheless, little is known about the relative importance of a partner's education, occupation and income in relation to inequalities in mortality. In this study, we consider the relative contribution of these three spouse characteristics to predicting general and cause-specific mortality in men and women. Data on married persons and their spouses were taken from a Norwegian cross-sectional survey of a total county population (the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study, HUNT 1, 1984-1986). A mortality follow-up was maintained until 2003. Associations of mortality with socioeconomic indicators were assessed computing hazard ratios and Relative Index of Inequality in Cox regression. In women, a clear gradient in age-adjusted mortality rates was observed according to all husband's characteristics. In men, wife's education was most consistently associated with their mortality. After mutual adjustment for all own and spouse's socioeconomic characteristics, the effect of husband's education on women's overall mortality diminished (HR 1.07), whereas the effects of husband's occupation and income remained of similarly moderate size (HR 1.12). Wife's education persisted after adjustment as a significant and strong predictor of men's all-cause mortality (HR 1.35). Effects of partner's characteristics were mostly pronounced in cardiovascular mortality and far less in cancer mortality. In men, wife's education was the strongest and only predictor of mortality across all causes of death examined, except stroke. In women, husband's occupation was mainly related to ischemic heart disease and lung cancer mortality, while husband's income influenced mainly stroke mortality. Wife's education and husband's occupation and income were the most important predictors of mortality across partner relationships. It is suggested that men contribute to their wives' health not only by means of financial security, but also through occupational class. Further research should test our hypothesis that the effect of husband's occupation on their spouses works through occupation-related lifestyle and social prestige.

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  • Skalická, Vera & Kunst, Anton E., 2008. "Effects of spouses' socioeconomic characteristics on mortality among men and women in a Norwegian longitudinal study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(9), pages 2035-2047, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:66:y:2008:i:9:p:2035-2047
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    2. Dustin Brown & Robert Hummer & Mark Hayward, 2014. "The Importance of Spousal Education for the Self-Rated Health of Married Adults in the United States," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 33(1), pages 127-151, February.
    3. Jordi Gumà & Jeroen Spijker, 2020. "Until Death Do Us Part. The Influence of Own and Partner’s Socioeconomic Status on the Health of Spanish Middle-Aged Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-11, June.
    4. Torssander, Jenny, 2014. "Adult children's socioeconomic positions and their parents' mortality: A comparison of education, occupational class, and income," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 148-156.
    5. Gwenn Menvielle & Julien Dugas & Jeanna-eve Franck & Matthieu Carton & Brigitte Trétarre & Isabelle Stücker & Danièle Luce, 2018. "Occupational prestige trajectory and the risk of lung and head and neck cancer among men and women in France," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 63(7), pages 833-845, September.
    6. Lamu, Admassu N. & Chen, Gang & Olsen, Jan Abel, 2023. "Amplified disparities: The association between spousal education and own health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 323(C).
    7. Veli Safak, 2020. "Matching Multidimensional Types: Theory and Application," Papers 2006.14243, arXiv.org.
    8. Hong Zou & Qianqian Xiong & Hongwei Xu, 2020. "Does Subjective Social Status Predict Self-Rated Health in Chinese Adults and Why?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 152(2), pages 443-471, November.

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