Poor health a legacy of marriage disruption
11 September 2009
Marital disruptions can damage a person’s health, researchers say.
And people who have remarried still have a higher risk of developing chronic (long-lasting) conditions and mobility limitations years after their divorce.
US researchers examined the long-term health outcomes among single, married, widowed and divorced people (J Health Soc Behav 2009; 50: 344-58). They assessed 4 health measures — number of chronic conditions, physical functioning, self-reported health and symptoms of depression — in a nationally representative sample of 8652 middle-aged people.
Among currently married people, those who had previously been divorced or widowed at least once had worse overall health outcomes. On average this group recorded a higher number of chronic conditions including diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, cancer, high blood pressure and stroke. They also had more mobility issues.
‘On all the dimensions we examined, currently married persons who had never been divorced or widowed show better health than currently married persons who have ever experienced a marital loss,’ the authors said.
‘However, we found little evidence that people with multiple disruptions are in worse health than persons with a single disruption, given their current marital state.’
Last Reviewed: 11 September 2009
- 1. Hughes ME, Waite LJ. Marital biography and health at mid-life. J Health Soc Behav 2009; 50: 344-58
