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. 2010 May;70(9):1350-7.
doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.12.012. Epub 2010 Feb 12.

National independence, women's political participation, and life expectancy in Norway

Jenna Nobles  1 , Ryan Brown, Ralph Catalano
Affiliations

National independence, women's political participation, and life expectancy in Norway

Jenna Nobles et al. Soc Sci Med. 2010 May.

Abstract

This study investigates the role of national independence and women's political participation on population health using historical lifespan data from Norway. We use time-series methods to analyze data measuring the actual length of time lived by Norwegian birth cohorts spanning a 61 year period surrounding the political emancipation of Norway from Sweden in 1905 and the establishment of a Norwegian monarchy in 1906. The use of a discrete, historical event improves our ability to interpret the population health effects of national independence and women's political participation as causal. We find a large and significant positive effect on the lifespan of Norwegian females born in the 1906 cohort. Interestingly, the effect does not extend to all living females during the Norwegian drive toward sovereignty. We conclude that the beneficial effects were likely conferred through intrauterine biological transfers and/or neonatal investments specific to the first year of life.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Lifespan (in years) for Norwegian and Danish birth cohorts over the period spanning 1895–1915.
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