A Comparison of the Health Effects of Marriage and Cohabitation

Cassandra A. Logan, Pennsylvania State University

The health effects of marriage are well documented and the research consistently shows that marriage positively affects mental and physical health. Because cohabiting couples do share some of the same characteristics of married couples, it could be assumed that cohabiting couples have comparable health status with married couples. However, the findings for the relationship between cohabitation and health are not as consistent as those for marriage. Using data from Wave 1 of the National Survey of Families and Households, this paper will explore the health benefits of cohabitation as compared to marriage. The central question of this examination is whether or not cohabitation offers the same health benefits as marriage. Secondarily, this analysis will examine the health effects of marriage and cohabitation across age, race, and gender.