An Econometric Assessment of the “Punishment” for Singlehood in Russia: Risks or New Opportunities in Life?

Abstract

The paper focuses on the effect of having a marriage partner on health and well-being of Russians as compared with their single compatriots. The health status variation between those who are married and those who are single can be explained both by the protective effect of marriage and marriage selection. Using the Cox proportional hazards model on the self-perceived health data from the RLMS 2004-2019 individual questionnaire, while controlling for socioeconomic factors, lifestyle, and living arrangements, we have found that the protective effect of marriage is non‑existent in men, except for a short-term impact of marital transitions. Women are “punished” for their singlehood due to a lack of a partner in their young age, or being in an unregistered union, or the loss of a breadwinner spouse at the age of 50 to 64. In contrast, women over 65 benefit from singlehood.