Effects of Self-Rated Health on Union Formation and Dissolution in Six Countries

Many studies demonstrated protective effects of marriage on health, but studies on the reverse pathway are more limited and provided mixed findings. Using large-scale data from annual longitudinal panel surveys, the current article estimates discrete-time event-history models to analyze how self-rated health affects transitions in and out of marriage and cohabitation. Harmonized panel data are used for Australia, Germany, (South) Korea, Russia, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The study finds adverse effects of poor self-rated health on all transitions: union formation, marriage formation, separation, divorce, and repartnering. Effects were smaller for the formation than for the dissolution of unions and smaller for the transition to cohabitation than to marriage. Few gender differences were found, but health effects on union dissolution declined with age. With exceptions, the impact of health was strikingly similar across the six countries. In general, the findings suggest an accumulation of health-related inequalities in the marriage market.