Long-term trends in mortality by living arrangements and the role of socioeconomic factors, Finland 1991–2020.

Recent decades have witnessed major changes in living arrangements, potentially impacting their well-established associations with mortality. However, research considering long-term trends in these differentials is scarce. We used individual-level register data on the total Finnish population aged 3...

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Published in:European Journal of Public Health Vol. 35; no. 5; pp. 814 - 821
Main Authors: Suulamo, Ulla K, Remes, Hanna M, Tarkiainen, Lasse H, Martikainen, Pekka T
Format: research tables/charts Journal Article
Published: Oxford University Press / USA Oct2025
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Oct2025
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      pub: Oxford University Press / USA
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        atl: Long-term trends in mortality by living arrangements and the role of socioeconomic factors, Finland 1991–2020.
      aug:
        au:
          Suulamo, Ulla K
          Remes, Hanna M
          Tarkiainen, Lasse H
          Martikainen, Pekka T
        affil: Helsinki Institute for Demography and Population Health, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
      sug:
        subj:
          Mortality Trends
          Residence Characteristics Evaluation
          Residence Characteristics Evaluation
          Residence Characteristics Evaluation
          Socioeconomic Factors Evaluation
          Cause of Death
          Alcohol-Related Disorders Mortality
          Men Psychosocial Factors
          Women Psychosocial Factors
          Human
          Finland
          Funding Source
          Male
          Female
          Prospective Studies
          Adult
          Middle Age
          Aged
          Retrospective Design
          Poisson Distribution
          Regression
          Odds Ratio
          Confidence Intervals
          Data Analysis Software
          Descriptive Statistics
          Single Person
          Comparative Studies
          Health Status Disparities
          Socioeconomic Factors Trends
          Mortality Risk Factors
          Risk Assessment
          Sex Factors
          Age Factors
          Public Health
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Middle Aged: 45-64 years
          Aged: 65+ years
          Male
          Female
      ab: Recent decades have witnessed major changes in living arrangements, potentially impacting their well-established associations with mortality. However, research considering long-term trends in these differentials is scarce. We used individual-level register data on the total Finnish population aged 30 years and over from 1991 to 2020 to examine trends in the association between living arrangements and all-cause, as well as external and alcohol-related mortality. We calculated age-standardized mortality rates, quantified group differentials in absolute and relative terms, and assessed the contribution of socioeconomic factors with Poisson-models. Analyses were conducted separately for men and women in age groups 30–49, 50–69, and 70+. All-cause mortality was consistently lowest among men and women living with a partner. Highest rates were observed in the growing group of individuals living alone or with persons other than a partner or child, who experienced up to a five-fold excess mortality compared to those living with a partner and children. Mortality declined across all living arrangement groups over time. While absolute rate differences mostly narrowed, relative differences widened across all ages. Adjustments for socioeconomic factors somewhat attenuated mortality differentials, with their contribution increasing modestly by the end of the study period. In conclusion, over the past 30 years, relative mortality differences by living arrangement have increased at all ages for both men and women. These widening differentials pose a growing public health burden, particularly for the growing group of individuals living alone. Our results suggest that factors beyond socioeconomic differentiation are contributing to these trends.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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