New Publication from COB MSIS Alumni & IS Chair Behzad

We’re excited to share a new publication from our Department Chair, Dr. Banafsheh Behzad, in collaboration with former MSIS student Katja Crusius and co-author Susan Martonosi. Their article, “Happily Ever After: The Effect of Marriage and Children on Life Expectancy in the United States,” was recently published in Chance (Volume 38, Issue 3). The study explores how family structure and socioeconomic factors relate to life expectancy across U.S. states between 2000 and 2017.

Authors

  • Katja Crusius

  • Susan Martonosi

  • Banafsheh Behzad

Life expectancy refers to the average number of years a person is expected to live based on various demographic and health factors. It is often used as a statistical measure to assess the overall health and mortality rates of a population. Life expectancy can vary significantly from one place to another and is influenced by factors such as health-related factors, socioeconomic conditions, lifestyle choices, genetics, and more. This expository paper examines the effect of marriage and children on life expectancy in the United States at the state level using data spanning from 2000 to 2017 in a fixed effects model. The findings suggest that, after controlling for other factors, states where a significant portion of the population is both married and employed tend to experience higher average life expectancies. Additionally, states with a substantial percentage of individuals having at least one child and having an annual income exceeding $50,000 tend to exhibit increased average life expectancies among their populations.

This is a joint work with Katja Crusius, a former MSIS student and currently a PhD student in information systems and technology at Claremont Graduate University. Katja started this collaboration with Dr. Behzad when she was a MSIS student at CSULB.

CHANCE is published quarterly. The magazine is designed for anyone who has an interest in using data to advance science, education, and society. CHANCE is a non-technical magazine highlighting applications that demonstrate sound statistical practice. CHANCE represents a cultural record of an evolving field, intended to entertain as well as inform. Chance, Volume 38, 2025-Issue 3, Pages 43-47, Published online: 03 Oct 2025