Early Marriage and Health in Midlife: Evidence of “Weathering” in Indian Women

Abstract

Objective: This article develops a conceptual model that links stress associated with early marriages with self-rated health, functional limitations, and chronic diseases among Indian women in midlife. Background: Early marriage has been a defining feature of the marital landscape in India. However, the existing literature is myopic in its assessment of the implications of early marriage by focusing primarily on the reproductive and sexual health outcomes of young women. Methods: This article uses the 2005 and the 2012 waves of the nationally-representative India Human Development Survey. It uses a sample of 36,283 currently married women from the second wave and 16,474 women from the panel data. Propensity score matching is undertaken to partially rule out selection. Results: The analysis demonstrates that early marriage is negatively associated with selfrated health, functional limitations, and chronic conditions among Indian women. Moreover, it leads to the weathering of health over the two waves, as indicated by the development of chronic diseases, functional limitations and the worsening of self-rated health in midlife. Conclusion: Early marriage predisposes women to chronic stress resulting in poorer health outcomes in midlife. Therefore, early marriage may set women on the path of lifelong health disadvantage. Implications: The findings underscore the importance of examining the link between early marriage and women's health outcomes in later life and recognizing their health vulnerabilities in other contexts.