A gender-specific widening in social mortality differentials in France: How did changes in male and female careers impact occupational mortality differentials?

Emmanuelle Cambois, Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED)
Caroline Laborde, Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED)

Occupational differentials in mortality in France are large, especially for men, and tend to increase over time. In parallel, male and female occupational careers have dramatically changed over the past decades. We suspect these changes to have modified the class distribution and the associated mortality level. This study explores the gender specific trends in occupational mortality differentials, in the light of the changes in the occupational class structure, the occupational mobility and the associated mortality risks. We used the French longitudinal census sample, for two periods (1970’s and 1990’s). The study shows that mortality differentials increased over the 20 year period for both sexes. Not only classes but careers are strongly linked to mortality. The change in occupational class distribution and in careers have changed the link between occupation and mortality. It contributes to the increase in mortality differentials but differently for men and women.