Divergent mortality patterns for second generation men of North-African and South-European origin in France: Role of labour force participation

In France, second generation men of South-European origin were recently found to experience a mortality advantage, as opposed to second generation men of North-African origin, subjected to a large amount of excess mortality. We analyze the roles of education and labor force participation in the explanation of these contrasting mortality patterns. Our data consisted of a nationally-representative sample of individuals aged 18–64 years derived from the 1999 census, with mortality follow-up until 2010. The two groups of second generation men, and particularly those of North-African origin, were less educated than the native-origin population, but only the latter was disadvantaged in terms of labor force participation. Relative to the native-origin population, the mortality hazard ratio for second generation men of North-African origin (HR = 1.71 [1.09–2.70]) remained significant after adjusting for level of educational attainment (HR = 1.59 [1.01–2.50]), but not after adjusting for economic activity (HR = 1.20 [0.76–1.89]) or for both variables (1.16 [0.74–1.83]). Conversely, the mortality hazard ratio for second generation men of South-European origin (HR = 0.64 [0.46–0.90]) remained unchanged after adjustment for level of educational attainment and/or economic activity. The findings shed light on the salient role of labor market disadvantage in the explanation of the mortality excess of second generation men of North-African origin in France, and on the favorable situation of second-generation men of South-European origin in terms of labour market position and mortality. The theoretical and policy implications of the findings are discussed. •In France, mortality of second generation adult men (G2) greatly varies by origin.•G2s of South-European origin have a mortality advantage.•G2s of North-African origin have a mortality disadvantage.•Of the two groups, only the G2s of North-African origin have an employment gap.•Labor force participation plays a major role in their mortality disadvantage.