Committed in Sickness and in Health? Health and Relationship Dissolution

• In Event: 184 - Regular Session. Marriage, Civil Unions, and Cohabitation

Abstract

Married individuals have longer life expectancies and report better self-rated health, on
average, than never –married or divorced individuals. The association between marriage and
better health is well established, but there are still many unanswered questions about the mechanisms
underlying this association. In this paper, we investigate how health characteristics and health behaviors are related to relationship dissolution among married and cohabiting couples with children. We find that some health characteristics predict relationship dissolution, but that association vary by relationship type and gender.

Authors

• Christine M. Percheski, Northwestern University

• Jess Meyer, Northwestern University