Old-age mortality and social class in northern Norway in the first half of the twentieth century

Figures & data

Table 1. Comparison of sample characteristics between the total population of women and men in Troms aged 40–59 in the 1910 census and the share with available death record in Troms in the Historical Population Register.

	Men aged 40–59		Women aged 40–59
	Total sample (N = 6,964)	Death record at age ≥40 (N = 4,858, 70%)	Total sample (N = 7,127)	Death record at age ≥ 40 (N = 3,891, 55%)
%
Social class
Non-manual classes	8.1	7.2	6.6	7.0
Skilled workers	7.2	6.2	6.5	6.3
Farmers	56.1	61.9	50.3	56.7
Lower-skilled/unskilled workers	27.5	24.1	28.2	23.9
Missing/unclassifiable	1.0	0.7	8.3	6.1
Marital status
Unmarried	10.2	6.9	13.2	8.7
Widowed	5.3	5.2	11.4	9.4
Married	84.5	87.9	75.5	81.9
Place of residence
Rural	89.8	91.0	87.7	88.7
Urban	10.2	9.0	12.3	11.3
Place of birth
Troms	85.2	88.6	87.1	89.4
Outside of Troms	14.8	11.4	13.0	10.6

Notes: Social class based on modified version of the Historical International Social Class Scheme (HISCLASS) (van Leeuwen & Maas, 2011).

Source: Norwegian Historical Data Centre, UiT The Arctic University of Norway. Historical Population Register of Norway. Original sources at the National Archive of Norway.

Table 2. Sample characteristics for men and women.

	Men (N = 5,891)	Women (N = 4,566)
Year of birth (mean (range))	1857 (1841–1870)	1857 (1841–1870)
Year of death (median (range))	1934 (1901–1973)	1936 (1901–1974)
Age at death (median (range))	77.0 (60–104)	78.8 (60–105)
Social class (% (N))
Non-manual classes	7.0 (410)	6.9 (317)
Skilled workers	6.4 (374)	6.6 (302)
Farmers	62.1 (3,657)	57.3 (2,617)
Lower-skilled/unskilled workers	24.6 (1,450)	25.0 (1,141)
Missing/unclassifiable	/	4.1 (189)
Marital status (%, (N))
Unmarried	5.1 (303)	7.8 (357)
Widowed	9.6 (563)	19.9 (910)
Married	85.3 (5,025)	72.3 (3,299)
Place of residence (% (N))
Urban	8.8 (517)	11.0 (504)
Rural	91.2 (5,374)	89.0 (4,062)
Inner-North	5.1 (301)	5.3 (243)
Coastal-North	31.2 (1,837)	30.4 (1,389)
Inner-South	7.0 (414)	7.8 (356)
Coastal-South	47.9 (2,822)	45.4 (2,074)
Place of birth (% (N))
Troms	86.3 (5,085)	87.7 (4,003)
Outside of Troms	13.7 (806)	12.3 (563)

Notes: Social class based on modified version of the Historical International Social Class Scheme (HISCLASS) (van Leeuwen & Maas, 2011).

Source: Norwegian Historical Data Centre, UiT The Arctic University of Norway. Historical Population Register of Norway. Original sources at the National Archive of Norway.

Table 3. Hazard ratios for mortality in Troms at age 60 and older by social class for women and men born between 1841 and 1870.

	Model 1 HR (95% CI)	P-value	Model 2 HR (95% CI)	P-value
Social class
Men	N = 5,891
Non-manual classes	1.02 (0.92, 1.14)	0.682	1.02 (0.91, 1.14)	0.795
Skilled workers	0.84 (0.75, 0.94)	0.002	0.84 (0.75, 0.95)	0.005
Farmers	0.83 (0.78, 0.88)	<0.001	0.87 (0.81, 0.93)	<0.001
Lower-skilled/unskilled workers	Ref.		Ref.
Women	N = 4,566
Non-manual classes	0.90 (0.79, 1.02)	0.087	0.92 (0.81, 1.04)	0.188
Skilled workers	0.90 (0.80, 1.03)	0.124	0.92 (0.81, 1.05)	0.217
Farmers	0.88 (0.82, 0.94)	<0.001	0.89 (0.83, 0.96)	0.002
Lower-skilled/unskilled workers	Ref.		Ref.
Missing/unclassifiable	0.87 (0.75, 1.02)	0.088	0.87 (0.74, 1.01)	0.074

Notes: Model 1 adjusts for age (timescale), model 2 additionally adjusts for marital status, place of birth, and place of residence; strata by 10-year birth cohorts.

Social class based on modified version of the Historical International Social Class Scheme (HISCLASS) (van Leeuwen & Maas, 2011).

Source: Norwegian Historical Data Centre, UiT The Arctic University of Norway. Historical Population Register of Norway. Original sources at the National Archive of Norway.

Table 4. Hazard ratios for mortality in different environments in Troms at age 60 and older by social class for women and men born between 1841 and 1870.

	Urban HR (95% CI)	P-value	Rural HR (95% CI)	P-value
Social class
Men	N = 517		N = 5,374
Non-manual classes	1.25 (1.01, 1.56)	0.043	0.94 (0.82, 1.08)	0.384
Skilled workers	0.94 (0.76, 1.17)	0.594	0.83 (0.72, 0.96)	0.013
Farmers	/		0.86 (0.80, 0.92)	<0.001
Lower-skilled/unskilled workers	Ref.		Ref.
Women	N = 504		N = 4,062
Non-manual classes	0.91 (0.73, 1.14)	0.409	0.91 (0.77, 1.08)	0.281
Skilled workers	0.88 (0.70, 1.11)	0.279	0.92 (0.78, 1.08)	0.319
Farmers	/		0.90 (0.84, 0.98)	0.011
Lower-skilled/unskilled workers	Ref.		Ref.
Missing/unclassifiable	0.74 (0.51, 1.09)	0.126	0.89 (0.75, 1.07)	0.213

Notes: Model 1 (urban) adjusts for age (timescale), marital status, and place of birth, model 2 (rural) additionally adjusts for place of residence; strata by 10-year birth cohorts.

Social class based on modified version of the Historical International Social Class Scheme (HISCLASS) (van Leeuwen & Maas, 2011).

Source: Norwegian Historical Data Centre, UiT The Arctic University of Norway. Historical Population Register of Norway. Original sources at the National Archive of Norway.

Table 5. Hazard ratios for mortality in Troms at age 60 and older by social class and combinations with farming for women and men born between 1841 and 1870.

	Men HR (95% CI)	P-value	Women HR (95% CI)	P-value
Social class and combinations with farming	N = 5,374		N = 4,062
Non-manual classes	1.00 (0.83, 1.20)	0.980	0.88 (0.71, 1.09)	0.238
Skilled workers	0.83 (0.70, 0.99)	0.035	0.92 (0.76, 1.10)	0.346
Farming only	0.88 (0.80, 0.96)	0.005	0.88 (0.80, 0.97)	0.008
Farming + fishing	0.87 (0.81, 0.94)	<0.001	0.93 (0.85, 1.01)	0.093
Farming + non-manual work	0.79 (0.69, 0.91)	0.001	0.85 (0.72, 1.01)	0.059
Farming + skilled work	0.80 (0.69, 0.93)	0.003	0.95 (0.79, 1.15)	0.623
Farming + lower-skilled/unskilled work	0.65 (0.54, 0.79)	<0.001	0.92 (0.73, 1.16)	0.485
Lower-skilled/unskilled workers	Ref.		Ref.
Missing/unclassifiable	/		0.89 (0.75, 1.06)	0.206

Notes: The model adjusts for age (timescale), marital status, place of birth, and place of residence; strata by 10-year birth cohorts.

Social class based on modified version of the Historical International Social Class Scheme (HISCLASS) (van Leeuwen & Maas, 2011).

Source: Norwegian Historical Data Centre, UiT The Arctic University of Norway. Historical Population Register of Norway. Original sources at the National Archive of Norway.

Table A1. Original HISCLASS groups and modified class categories for this study.

HISCLASS number	Original HISCLASS label	Categories in this study
1	Higher managers	Non-manual classes
2	Higher professionals	Non-manual classes
3	Lower managers	Non-manual classes
4	Lower professionals, clerical and sales personnel	Non-manual classes
5	Lower clerical and sales personnel	Non-manual classes
6	Foremen	Skilled workers
7	Medium skilled workers	Skilled workers
8	Farmers	Farmers
9	Lower skilled workers	Lower-skilled/unskilled workers
10	Lower skilled farm workers	Lower-skilled/unskilled workers
11	Unskilled workers	Lower-skilled/unskilled workers
12	Unskilled farm workers	Lower-skilled/unskilled workers

Notes: Historical International Social Class Scheme (HISCLASS) (van Leeuwen & Maas, 2011).

Table A2. Overview of the five most frequent male occupations by social class category and environment in the study sample.

	Lower-skilled /unskilled workers	Farmers	Skilled workers	Non-manual classes
Total	Fishermen* (67.9%)	Fishermen-farmers (65.4%)	Carpenters (29.1%)	Working proprietors – trade (26.5%)
	Cotters (7.2%)	Farmers (34.6%)	Shoemakers (16.8%)	Captains (14.1%)
	Farm workers (6.1%)		Shipwrights (9.1%)	Teachers (13.7%)
	(Day) labourers (4.3%)		Masons (7.2%)	Sales supervisors (5.6%)
	Dock workers (1.9%)		Blacksmiths (6.4%)	Salespeople (4.9%)
Urban	Fishermen (33.8%)		Carpenters (22.8%)	Working proprietors – trade (19.4%)
	(Day) labourers (16.4%)		Shipwrights (13.6%)	Captains (18.1%)
	Dock workers (9.2%)		Masons (8.0%)	Teachers (5.6%)
	Loaders/Porters (8.7%)		Shoemakers (8.0%)	Salespeople (5.6%)
	Seamen (7.7%)		Tailors (4.9%)	Transport or communication supervisors (5.0%)
Rural	Fishermen* (73.1%)	Fishermen-farmers (65.4%)	Carpenters (34.0%)	Working proprietors – trade (31.2%)
	Cotters (8.4%)	Farmers (34.6%)	Shoemakers (23.6%)	Teachers (21.2%)
	Farm workers (7.0%)		Blacksmiths (8.0%)	Captains (16.0%)
	(Day) labourers (2.5%)		Masons (6.6%)	Sales supervisors (6.4%)
	Seamen (0.8%)		Shipwrights (5.2%)	Salespeople (4.4%)

*Many fishermen in rural Troms were also registered as cotters.

Notes: Social class based on modified version of the Historical International Social Class Scheme (HISCLASS) (van Leeuwen & Maas, 2011).

Source: Norwegian Historical Data Centre, UiT The Arctic University of Norway. Historical Population Register of Norway. Original sources at the National Archive of Norway.

Table A3. Overview of the five most frequent occupations for farmers in rural Troms who reported a second occupation (ref. Table 5).

	Lower-skilled /unskilled workers	Skilled workers	Non-manual classes
Farmers	Forestry workers (9.2%)	Carpenters (46.9%)	Working proprietors – trade (26.8%)
	Stone workers (9.2%)	Shoemakers (13.0%)	Teachers (17.9%)
	Mine workers (9.2%)	Blacksmiths (10.6%)	Captains (12.3%)
	Mail carriers (9.2%)	Masons (5.8%)	Sales supervisors (6.0%)
	Road workers (6.7%)	Shipwrights (4.3%)	Postmasters (5.1%)

Notes: Social class based on modified version of the Historical International Social Class Scheme (HISCLASS) (van Leeuwen & Maas, 2011).

Source: Norwegian Historical Data Centre, UiT The Arctic University of Norway. Historical Population Register of Norway. Original sources at the National Archive of Norway.

Table A4. Hazard ratios for mortality in Troms at age 60 and older by social class based on SOCPO for women and men born between 1841 and 1870.

	Model 1 HR (95% CI)	P-value	Model 2 HR (95% CI)	P-value
Social class
Men	N = 5,871
Elite/Middle class	1.05 (0.94, 1.17)	0.381	1.05 (0.94, 1.18)	0.386
Farmers	0.84 (0.79, 0.89)	<0.001	0.88 (0.82, 0.93)	<0.001
Skilled workers	0.85 (0.75, 0.95)	0.006	0.86 (0.76, 0.97)	0.017
Semi-skilled/unskilled workers	Ref.		Ref.
Women	N = 4,553
Elite/Middle class	0.90 (0.79, 1.01)	0.083	0.92 (0.81, 1.05)	0.217
Farmers	0.88 (0.82, 0.94)	<0.001	0.89 (0.82, 0.96)	0.002
Skilled workers	0.88 (0.77, 1.00)	0.052	0.89 (0.78, 1.02)	0.099
Semi-skilled/unskilled workers	Ref.		Ref.
Missing/unclassifiable	0.87 (0.75, 1.02)	0.085	0.86 (0.74, 1.01)	0.071

Notes: Model 1 adjusts for age (timescale), model 2 additionally adjusts for marital status, place of birth and place of residence; strata by 10-year birth cohorts.

Social class based on modified version of the Social Power Scheme (SOCPO) (van de Putte & Miles, 2005).

Source: Norwegian Historical Data Centre, UiT The Arctic University of Norway. Historical Population Register of Norway. Original sources at the National Archive of Norway.

van Leeuwen, M. H. D., & Maas, I. (2011). HISCLASS. A historical international social class scheme. Leuven University Press.

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van de Putte, B., & Miles, A. (2005). A social classification scheme for historical occupational data: Partner selection and industrialism in Belgium and England, 1800–1918. Historical Methods, 38(2), 61–92. https://doi.org/10.3200/HMTS.38.2.61-94

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