Birthdate and Mortality: An Evaluation of the Death-Dip/Death-Rise Phenomenon

Numerous authors have attempted to examine the timing of mortality in relation to socially significant events. Typically, previous findings have not adequately answered the question of why the hypothesis is often confirmed with small samples and not with large ones, what an appropriate time interval of study would be, and whether the pattern applies across year, gender, race, marital status, age and cause of death. The present study attempts to examine birthdate as the criterion date while using a large sample from official state mortality records. The total population for the present study were all deaths by natural causes in the State of Ohio for 1979, 1980, and 1981. Analyses were done by various time intervals (day, week, and year) and by examining possible patterns based on the aforementioned third variables. The findings show that there is a greater tendency for persons to die within thirty days after the date of birth than before. More specifically, there was a statistically significant pattern of increased mortality for those who were never married and for ill-defined causes of death. A theoretical foundation and a brief interpretation of these findings is offered.