Divorced and bereaved face more illness in later years

Published on Monday 27 July 2009 22:03

PEOPLE who divorce or who suffer the death of a spouse are more likely to experience health problems in later life, according to new research.

A study found those whose marriages break up or who are bereaved have a 20 per cent higher chance of chronic health problems such as heart disease, diabetes or cancer than people who stay married.

Mobility problems are also more likely among people who have divorced or been bereaved, according to the research by US scientists.

Sociologist Dr Linda Waite of the University of Chicago based her study on more than 8,000 people between the ages of 51 and 60. She

said: "We argue that losing a marriage through divorce or widowhood is extremely stressful and that a high-stress period takes a toll on health.

"Think of health as money in the bank. Think of a marriage as a mechanism for 'saving' or adding to health. Think of divorce as a period of very high expenditures.

"Some health situations, like depression, seem to respond both quickly and strongly to changes in current conditions.

"In contrast, conditions such as diabetes and heart disease develop slowly over a substantial period and show the impact of past experiences, which is why health is undermined by divorce or widowhood, even when a person remarries."

The study found those who remarry have 12 per cent more chronic conditions than those who stay married, and 19 per cent more mobility limitations. People who remarried had the same rate of depressive illness as those who had divorced once and not remarried.

The findings, believed to be the first large scale study of the links between divorce, bereavement and bad health, appear in the September issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior. The quality of relationships was not taken into account.

Stuart Valentine, chief executive of Relationships Scotland, said:

"A lot of our work is with people who are going through separation and divorce, and there can be ways of helping people go through these transitions in life which hopefully will lessen the impact.

"In some cases it can be very wise for people to separate. There can be issues of violence and control which mean it would be better for that relationship to come to an end."

Lindsay Scott, a spokesman for Age Concern and Help the Aged Scotland, said:

"Certainly having company in your later life means that you are happier and healthier, but if you get two people living together drinking, smoking and not taking any exercise it is not going to do their health any good at all."

EXERCISE BOOST

PEOPLE who exercise at high intensity are less likely to develop cancer and die, research suggests.

Jogging, swimming, rowing and games like squash or football all lead to a lower risk of developing cancer and dying from it. However, the study found people must exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.

Experts followed 2,560 men from eastern Finland with no history of cancer and asked them how often they exercised.

The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that men who exercised intensively for at least 30 minutes a day had about half the risk of cancer death of those who exercised less.