An analysis of difference in mortality rates by marital status in Japan every 5 years from 2000 to 2015

Abstract

Objectives: This study assessed the mortality rate trend of representative causes of death by marital status, every 5 years from 2000 to 2015, using Japan's Vital Statistics.

Methods: Japan's Vital Statistics and Census data of every 5 years from 2000 to 2015 were utilized. The mortality data included mortality rates of all-cause, tuberculosis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, pneumonia, liver disease, renal failure, senility, unintentional injury, and suicide. The cancer mortality rates in all sites, stomach, colorectal, liver, gallbladder and extrahepatic bile duct, pancreas, lung, and breast cancer were also analyzed. Marital statuses classified into married, never-married, widowed, and divorced were utilized for analysis. Age-standardized mortality rates for each cause of death by marital status and the rate ratios of never-married, widowed, and divorced individuals compared with married individuals for the age-standardized mortality rates were calculated for each cause of death.

Results: The age-standardized mortality rates for married individuals were lower than those for other marital statuses irrespective of sex and years for most of the causes of death from 2000 to 2015. However, the degrees of decrease in age-standardized all-cause mortality rates were different based on marital statuses, with it being the largest in never-married individuals for both sexes. Alternatively, the divorced marital status had the worst prognosis in 2015 for both sexes. Moreover, tuberculosis and senility had the highest ratio for men and women, respectively, for the rate ratio of never-married individuals compared with married individuals. The ratios for cancer were relatively low compared to other causes of death.

Conclusions: During the analyzed periods, the disparity between the never-married and married individuals declined, and the social support for disease prevention and care is particularly needed for divorced individuals in the current time.