Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sex differentials in premature death among professionals Part I

  • Published:
Journal of the Australian Population Association Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This is Part I of a two-part article.

A reversal of the sex differential in mortality appears in the 1968–72 death rates of white Wisconsin professionals. Six types of possible measurement error do not account for this finding. Substantially more professional women were not married, and this differential in the distribution of marital status accounted for 37.8 per cent of the women’s deaths. The results linking marital status and mortality are discussed in terms of Durkheim’s concepts of social integration andanomie, and are related to recent empirical studies connecting marriage and parenthood with health and mortality.

Part II will further analyse the data in terms of cause of death and occupational variables.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics. 1988.Causes of Death 1987. Cat.No.3303.0. Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics.

  • Alwin, D.F., P.E. Converse, and S.S. Martin. 1985. Living arrangements and social integration.Journal of Marriage and the Family 47:319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anson, O. 1988. Living arrangements and women’s health.Social Science and Medicine 26:201–208.

    Google Scholar 

  • Antonovsky, A. 1967. Social class, life expectancy and overall mortality.Milbank Memorial Fund Quarterly 45:31–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benjamin, B. 1965.Social and Economic Factors Affecting Mortality. The Hague: Mouton and Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berger, P.L. and H. Kellner. 1970. Marriage and the construction of reality. In H.P. Drietzel (ed.),Recent Sociology No.2: Patterns of Communicative Behaviour. London: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernard, J. 1972.The Future of Marriage. New York: World Publishing Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowlby, J. 1969.Attachment and Loss, Vol.LAttachment. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Broadhead, W.E., B.H. Kaplan, SA. James, E.H. Wagner, VJ. Schoenbach, R. Grimson, S. Heyden, G. Tibblin and S.H. Gehlback. 1983. The epidemiological evidence for a relationship between social support and health.American Journal of Epidemiology 117:521–537.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, E.M. 1976. Divorce Counselling. Pp.399–429 in D.K.L. Olson (ed.),Treating Relationships. Lake Mills, Iowa: Graphic Publishing Co. Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, G.W., M.N. Bhrolchain and T. Harris. 1975. Social class and psychiatric disturbance among women in an urban population.Sociology 9: 225–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, A., P.E. Converse and W. Rodgers. 1976.The Quality of American Life: Perceptions, Evaluations and Satisfactions. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carter, H. and P.C. Glick. 1970.Marriage and Divorce: A Social and Economic Study. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, S. and L. Syme. 1985.Social Support and Health. New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, BA. G.A. Kaplan and R.D. Cohen. 1988. Did early detection and treatment contribute to the decline in ischemic heart disease mortality?American Journal of Epidemiology 127: 1143–1154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cox, P. and J. Ford. 1964. The mortality of widows shortly after widowhood.Lancet 1:163–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Croog, S.H. 1970. The family as a source of stress. Pp.19–53 in S. Levine and NA. Scotch (eds),Social Stress. Chicago: Aldine.

    Google Scholar 

  • Delbecq, A.L., A.H. Van de Ven and D.H. Gustafson. 1975.Group Techniques for Program Planning: A Guide to Nominal Group and Delphi Processes. Glenview, III.: Scott, Foresman and Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dohrenwend, B.S. and B.P. Dohrenwend. 1974.Stressful Life Events: Their Nature and Effects. New York: J. Wiley and Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dohrenwend, B.S. and B.P. Dohrenwend. 1981.Stressful Life Events and their Contexts. New York: Prodist.

    Google Scholar 

  • Durkheim, E. 1951.Suicide. Glencoe, III.: The Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dwyer, T. and B.S. Hetzel. 1980. A comparison of trends of coronary heart disease mortality in Australia, U.SA. and England and Wales with reference to three major risk factors — hypertension, cigarette smoking and diet.International Journal of Epidemiology 9:65–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eckenrode, J. and S. Gore. 1981. Stressful life events and social supports: the significance of context. Pp.43–68 in B.H. Gottleib (ed.),Social Networks and Social Support. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glenn, N.D. 1975. The contribution of marriage to the psychological well-being of males and females.Journal of Marriage and the Family 37:594–600.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glick, I.O., R.S. Weiss and CM. Parkes. 1974.The First Year of Bereavement. New York: J. Wiley and Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Golan, N. 1981.Passing through Transitions: A Guide for Practitioners. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldman, L. and E.F. Cook. 1984. The decline in cardiovascular disease mortality.Annals of Internal Medicine 101:825–836.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goode, W.J. 1956.Women in Divorce. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gove, W.R. 1972. Sex, marital status and suicide.Journal of Health and Social Behavior 13:204–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gove, W.R. 1973. Sex, marital status and mortality.American Journal of Sociology 79:45–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gove, W.R., M. Hughes and C.B. Style. 1983. Does marriage have positive effects on the psychological well-being of the individual?Journal of Health and Social Behavior 24:22–131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton, J.B. 1948. The role of testicular secretions as indicated by the effects of castration in man and by studies of pathological conditions and the short lifespan associated with maleness.Recent Progress in Hormone Research 3:257–324.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hedrick, LJ. 1968.Facts on Smoking, Tobacco and Health. RMC Report UR - 039. Washington D.C.: National Clearinghouse for Smoking and Health, Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hogan, D.P. 1976. The passage of American men from family of orientation to family of procreation: patterns, timing and determinants. Ph.D. Dissertation, Madison: University of Wisconsin.

  • Holmes, T.H. and R.H. Rahe. 1967. The social readjustment rating scale.Journal of Psychosomatic Research 11:213–218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iskrant A.P. and P.V. Joliet. 1968.Accidents and Homicide. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacobson, D.E. 1986. Types and timing of social support.Journal of Health and Social Behavior 17:250–264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jourard, S. 1971.The Transparent Self. Revised Edition. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan, B.H., J.C. Cassell and S. Gore. 1977. Social support and health.Medical Care Supplement 15:47–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan, GA, BA. Cohn, R.D. Cohen and J. Guralnick. 1988. The decline in ischemic heart disease mortality: prospective evidence from the Alameda County Study.American Journal of Epidemiology 127:1131–1142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kasarda, J.D. and M. Janowitz. 1974. Community attachment in mass society.American Sociological Review 39:328–339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, S. 1975.The American Way of Divorce. Chicago: Nelson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiecolt-Glaser, J.K., L.D. Fisher, P. Ogrocki, J.C. Stout, C.E. Speicher and R. Glaser. 1987. Marital quality, marital disruption, and immune function.Psychosomatic Medicine 49:13–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitagawa, E.M. and P.H. Hauser. 1973.Differential Mortality in the United States: A Study in Socioeconomic Epidemiology. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kobrin, F.E. and G.E. Hendershot. 1977. Do family ties reduce mortality? Evidence from the United States, 1966–1968.Journal of Marriage and the Family 39:737–745.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kotler, P. and D.L. Wingard. 1989. The effect of occupation, marital status and roles on mortality: the Alameda County Study.American Journal of Public Health 79:607–612.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ladbrook, D.A. 1976. Health and survival of the divorced.Conciliation Courts Review 14:21–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ladbrook, D.A. 1977. Social contexts of premature death in contemporary America. Ph.D.

  • Dissertation. Madison: University of Wisconsin.

  • Ladbrook, DA. 1979. Life reconstruction after divorce.Australian Journal of Sex, Marriage and Family 1:125–135.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ladbrook, DA. 1982. Managing the stresses of separation. Pp38–59 in L. Harvey (ed.),New Beginnings: Coping With Separation and Divorce. Sydney: Family Life Movement of Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus, R.S., A. Kanner and S. Folkman. 1980. Emotions: a cognitive - phenomenological analysis. Pp.189–217 in R. Plutchik and H. Kellerman (eds),Theories of Emotion. New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, N., M.W. Woelfel and S.C. Light. 1985. The buffering effect of social support subsequent to an important life event.Journal of Health and Social Behavior 26:247–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacCormack, C.P. 1988. Health and the social power of women.Social Science and Medicine 27:677–683.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marmot, M.G., M.J. Shipley and G. Rose. 1984. Inequalities in death-specific explanation of a general pattern?Lancet: 1003–1006.

  • Maxwell, H. 1974.Notes on Psychosomatic Medicine for Nurses. London: Simon Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • McMichael, AA. 1985. Social class (as estimated by occupational prestige) and mortality in Australian males in the 1970’s.Community Health Studies 9:220–230.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moriyama, I.M. and L. Guralnick. 1956. Occupation and social class differentials in mortality. Pp.9–36 inTrends and Differentials in Mortality. New York: Milbank Memorial Fund.

    Google Scholar 

  • Munro, A. 1973. The psychosomatic approach. Pp.1–7 in A. Munro (ed.),Psychosomatic Medicine. London: Churchill and Livingstone.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (N.I.A.A.A.). 1971.First Special Report to the United States Congress on Alcohol and Health. Washington D.C.

  • Norton, AJ. and P.C. Glick. 1976. Marital instability: past, present and future.Journal of Social Issues 32:9–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ortmeyer, C.E. 1974. Variations in mortality, morbidity and health care by marital status. Pp.159–188 in C.L. Erhardt and J. Berlin,Mortality and Morbidity in the United States. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parkes, CM. 1971. Psycho-social transitions: a field for study.Social Science and Medicine 5:101–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parkes, CM. 1973.Bereavement. London: Tavistock.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parkes, CM., B. Benjamin and R.G. Fitzgerald. 1969. Broken heart: a statistical study of increased mortality among widowers.British Medical Journal 1:740–743.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pratt, L. 1976.Family Structure and Effective Health Behavior The Energised Family. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Renne, E. 1971. Health and marital experience in an urban population.Journal of Marriage and the Family: 338–350.

  • Romeder, J.M. and J.R. McWhinnie. 1977. Potential years of life lost between ages 1 and 70: an indication of premature mortality for health planning.International Journal of Epidemiology 6:143–151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Russek, H.I. 1959. The role of heredity, diet and emotional stress in coronary heart disease.Journal of the American Medical Association 121:503–508.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stein, P. 1976.Single. Englewood Cliffs, NJ.: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stephens, R.C, Z.S. Blau and G.T. Oser. 1978. Aging, social support systems and social policy.Journal of Gerontological Social Work 1:33–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thoits, P.A. 1987. Gender and marital status differences in control and distress: common stress versus unique stress explanations.Journal of Health and Social Behavior 2:7–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Umberson, D. 1987. Family status and health behaviors: social control as a dimension in social integration.Journal of Health and Social Behavior 28:306–319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Bureau of the Census. 1973.Characteristics of the Population, Wisconsin, Volume 51. Washington D.C.: United States Department of Commerce.

    Google Scholar 

  • Venters, M. 1989. Family-oriented prevention of cardiovascular disease: a social epidemiological approach.Social Science and Medicine 28:309–314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Venters, M., D.R. Jacobs, P. Pirie, R.V. Luepker, A.R. Folsom and R.F. Gillum. 1986. Marital status and cardiovascular risk: the Minnesota Heart Survey and the Minnesota Heart Health Program.Preventive Medicine 15:591–605.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verbrugge, L.M. 1976. Sex differentials in morbidity and mortality in the United States.Social Biology 23:275–296.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verbrugge, L.M. 1989. The twain meet: empirical explanations of sex differences in health and mortality.Journal of Health and Social Behavior 30:282–304.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weiss, R.S. 1969. The fund of sociability.Transaction 6:36–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiss, R.S. 1975.Marital Separation. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiss, R.S. 1976. The emotional impact of marital separation.Journal of Social Issues 32:135–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilcox, B. 1981. Social support in adjusting to marital disruption: a network analysis. Pp.97–115 in B.H. Gottleib (ed.),Social Networks and Social Support. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, Curtin University of Technology, WA 6102

    Denis Ladbrook

Authors
  1. Denis Ladbrook
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ladbrook, D. Sex differentials in premature death among professionals Part I. Journal of Population Research 7, 1–26 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03029354

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03029354

Keywords

Search

Navigation