Is Delaying Marriage Beneficial in Later Life? Age at Marriage and Psychological and Cognitive Health in Later Life in India.

Abstract

Background and objectives: Previous research on the effects of age at marriage in low- and middle-income countries has predominantly examined the influence of child marriage on women's reproductive, sexual, and mental health outcomes. However, this research has focused on younger populations and has not examined how age at marriage may affect health in later life. We posit that the experience of adversities associated with child marriage has an enduring influence on cognitive and psychological health in later life. In addition, we investigate whether getting married in India at age 21, the current legal age at marriage for men, is associated with better health outcomes for both men and women.

Research design and methods: We analyze data from the second wave of the World Health Organization's Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (2015) and use regression analysis to examine the relationship between marriage at or before 18 years and marriage at or after 21 years, and depressive symptoms and cognitive scores of men and women over the age of 50. We also conduct inverse probability weighted regression adjustment analysis to account for selection into the age at marriage.

Results: Our findings show that child marriage is associated with a higher probability of depressive symptoms and lower cognitive scores only among women. Men are not disadvantaged when married as children. Conversely, getting married at or after age 21 is linked to health benefits for both men and women.

Discussion and implications: This is the first study to document the adverse role of child marriage on later-life health among women. These findings indicate that healthcare systems should remain attentive to and address the ongoing health concerns of women who were married as children, even as they age.