Women in the labor force: are sex mortality differentials changing?

The relationship between the increasing participation of women in the labor force, female mortality, and the male-female mortality differential is examined in this work. The mortality experience of women and men 16 to 64 years of age in the Wisconsin civilian labor force is examined for the period 1974 to 1978 through comparisons of central death rates and sex mortality ratios. In general, this study suggests that, at this time, female mortality is not negatively affected by female labor force participation. Furthermore, there is little evidence to suggest that the entrance of women into the labor force will narrow the sex mortality differential in the general population. However, among certain occupation groups, males and females of similar marital status experience mortality rates that are quite similar. Possible interpretations of these unusual findings are presented.