Intragenerational mobility and mortality in Russia: Short and longer-term effects

► Downward social mobility was associated with an immediate mortality increase for Russian men. ► Selection due to health behavior or poor health does not fully explain the higher mortality following downward mobility. ► Downward mobility may be a consequential life event that influences mortality. ► Upward social mobility was associated with lower mortality and operated over a longer time frame. ► The relationship between upward mobility and lower mortality appears to be driven by the accumulated benefits of the new status.