The association between gender, family status and mortality

To analyse marital and gender differentials in mortality. The causes of death in Germany were analyzed in detail to determine odds ratios (OR) for all causes and the four main causes of death. Mortality rates were nearly twice as high for men as for women. Mortality rates for unmarried men were more than twice as high as those for married men (OR 2.43–2.50); the ORs for women were considerably lower (1.74 to 1.75). For men, the ORs were higher for those causes of death influenced by health-risk behaviour. In terms of health gains, marriage seems to be more beneficial to men than to women. Particularly for men, marriage provides stronger protection against causes of death that are related to health-risk behaviour (smoking, drinking, risky driving) and to unhealthy working conditions.