HEALTH AND ADVERSE SELECTION INTO MARRIAGE - EVIDENCE FROM A STUDY OFTHE 1958 BRITISH BIRTH COHORT

Despite much research on the relationship between marital status and h ealth, the confounding effects of marital selection are not well under stood. Even less is known about 'adverse selection', the phenomenon th at people with poor health or health related attributes have a higher chance of marriage. Using data from the National Child Development Stu dy, a longitudinal study of the 1958 British birth cohort, this paper examines the effects of factors that can select single people into ear ly or later marriages. The selection factors are from three domains, n amely, health status, socioeconomic status, and risk-taking behaviour. It is found that, from age 16-23 y, adverse selection is prevalent. P eople from a lower socio-economic background and smokers are more like ly to be married. This has the potential to suppress any association b etween marriage and health. Meanwhile, men with medical problems are l ess likely to many. At ages from 23-33 y, adverse selection reduces an d those who have better life chances are more likely to get married. T his has the potential of creating a spurious relation between marriage and health. These findings shed light on the understanding of the con founding effects of marital selection according to different life stag es.