The relationship between mortality and time since divorce, widowhood or remarriage in Norway

► Earlier studies have given mixed evidence about the relationship between mortality and marital history. ► This study is based on a large register data material of high quality from Norway. ► Results show that mortality among divorcees compared to married increases with duration since divorce, but only among men. ► Among widowed, mortality increases quite little with time since spouse's death, but maybe more sharply for women than for men. ► For men, a period as divorced or widowed leaves no long-term mark on mortality if remarriage takes place within 10 years.