Job losses and accumulated number of broken partnerships increase risk of premature mortality in Danish men born in 1953.

Abstract

To investigate how accumulation of job losses and broken partnerships affect the risk of premature mortality, and to study joint exposure to both events. Birth cohort study of 9789 Danish men born in 1953 with follow-up of events between the ages of 40 and 51. The adjusted hazard rates for premature mortality was 1.44 (95% CI = 1.15 to 1.80) for individuals with one job loss, 1.55 (1.13 to 2.13) for individuals with one broken partnership, and 2.15 (95% CI = 1.49 to 3.10) for individuals with two or more broken partnerships. Experience of at least one job loss increased the risk of premature mortality. The risk of premature mortality increased with the number of broken partnerships. There was no statistical interaction between job losses and broken partnerships.