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Respiratory Investigation Mar 2023Although studies have investigated the factors associated with psychological post-COVID-19 symptoms, the impact of marital status on symptom development has not been...
Although studies have investigated the factors associated with psychological post-COVID-19 symptoms, the impact of marital status on symptom development has not been fully determined. This study conducts a questionnaire survey to investigate the association between marital status and the proportion of patients with post-COVID-19 symptoms in 749 cases as valid responses. Depressive state and memory impairment were more frequently seen in the no-spouse group when each symptom was compared according to marital status. Particularly in individuals in the 40s who had minor COVID-19 illness, this trend was noted. Single patients with mild COVID-19 illness may need proactive psychological support.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Depression; Marital Status; Surveys and Questionnaires; Anxiety
PubMed: 36720183
DOI: 10.1016/j.resinv.2023.01.001 -
Indian Journal of Medical Ethics 2020The introduction of AETCOM (attitude, ethics and communication) (1) is seen as an effort at incorporating Medical Humanities (MH) within the medical curriculum. For the...
The introduction of AETCOM (attitude, ethics and communication) (1) is seen as an effort at incorporating Medical Humanities (MH) within the medical curriculum. For the first time, India's medical curriculum includes modules on the patient-doctor relationship, helping doctors to address ethical dilemmas that might arise during medical practice. Despite this progressive step, AETCOM has a number of drawbacks. Gayathri Prabhu (2) has analysed AETCOM as ossified, instrumental, lacking in a critical sensibility and failing to borrow from a humanities methodology. We would like to add to her excellent critique by examining other areas which have been overlooked within AETCOM. Our editorial addresses AETCOM's lack of sensibility towards the diversity of patients in India by focusing specifically on questions of gender, sexuality and marital status. While it is also important to understand how caste, religious, tribal and ethnic backgrounds of patients might be addressed within AETCOM, it is outside the scope of this editorial.
Topics: Curriculum; Education, Medical, Undergraduate; Female; Humanities; Humans; India; Marital Status; Sexuality
PubMed: 32393449
DOI: 10.20529/IJME.2020.039 -
Cancer Nov 2009Life-threatening illness creates severe stress that may result in marital discord, separation, or divorce and may adversely impact treatment, quality of life, and... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
BACKGROUND
Life-threatening illness creates severe stress that may result in marital discord, separation, or divorce and may adversely impact treatment, quality of life, and survival. The few studies that are available to date have suggested that the risk of divorce is not higher in cancer patients, but to the authors' knowledge, no data exist to date that have examined the effect of gender on this rate.
METHODS
A total of 515 patients were prospectively identified as having either a malignant primary brain tumor (N = 214), a solid tumor with no nervous system involvement (N = 193), or multiple sclerosis (N = 108) who were married at the time of diagnosis. Basic demographic information and data regarding marital status were compiled. Patients were followed prospectively from enrollment until death or study termination.
RESULTS
Women composed 53% of the patient population. Divorce or separation occurred at a rate similar to that reported in the literature (11.6%). There was, however, a greater than 6-fold increase in risk after diagnosis when the affected spouse was the woman (20.8% vs 2.9%; P < .001). Female gender was found to be the strongest predictor of separation or divorce in each cohort. Marriage duration at the time of illness was also correlated with separation among brain tumor patients (P = .0001). Patients with brain tumors who were divorced or separated were more likely to be hospitalized, and less likely to participate in a clinical trial, receive multiple treatment regimens, complete cranial irradiation, or die at home (P < .0001).
CONCLUSIONS
Female gender was found to be a strong predictor of partner abandonment in patients with serious medical illness. When divorce or separation occurred, quality of care and quality of life were adversely affected.
Topics: Brain Neoplasms; Divorce; Female; Humans; Male; Marriage; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Quality of Life; Sex Factors; Stress, Psychological
PubMed: 19645027
DOI: 10.1002/cncr.24577 -
Journal of Aging and Health Jan 2022To investigate whether the association between non-spousal support and mortality risk differs by marital status.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether the association between non-spousal support and mortality risk differs by marital status.
METHODS
Using data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (N = 2460), we estimate a series of logistic regression models to assess how non-spousal support moderates the relationship between marital status and mortality across a 5-year period.
RESULTS
Never married respondents who had minimal perceived access to non-spousal support had a greater probability of death compared to married respondents with similar levels of non-spousal support. The disparity in mortality risk between these two groups disappeared when non-spousal support was high.
DISCUSSION
Although family and friends play an important role in mortality risk in later life, these findings suggest that never married older adults exhibit a heightened dependence on support from non-spousal sources. Future research and policies should explore ways in which never married older adults can be integrated into a supportive social environment.
Topics: Aged; Aging; Humans; Marital Status; Marriage; Single Person; Social Support
PubMed: 34114491
DOI: 10.1177/08982643211025381 -
Maturitas Dec 2012Marital status and living arrangements, along with changes in these in mid-life and older ages, have implications for an individual's health and mortality. Literature on... (Review)
Review
Marital status and living arrangements, along with changes in these in mid-life and older ages, have implications for an individual's health and mortality. Literature on health and mortality by marital status has consistently identified that unmarried individuals generally report poorer health and have a higher mortality risk than their married counterparts, with men being particularly affected in this respect. With evidence of increasing changes in partnership and living arrangements in older ages, with rising divorce amongst younger cohorts offsetting the lower risk of widowhood, it is important to consider the implications of such changes for health in later life. Within research which has examined changes in marital status and living arrangements in later life a key distinction has been between work using cross-sectional data and that which has used longitudinal data. In this context, two key debates have been the focus of research; firstly, research pointing to a possible selection of less healthy individuals into singlehood, separation or divorce, while the second debate relates to the extent to which an individual's transitions earlier in the life course in terms of marital status and living arrangements have a differential impact on their health and mortality compared with transitions over shorter time periods. After reviewing the relevant literature, this paper argues that in order to fully account for changes in living arrangements as a determinant of health and mortality transitions, future research will increasingly need to consider a longer perspective and take into account transitions in living arrangements throughout an individual's life course rather than simply focussing at one stage of the life course.
Topics: Age Factors; Female; Health Status; Humans; Male; Marital Status; Mortality
PubMed: 23007006
DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2012.08.007 -
Cancer Medicine Jan 2023In recent years, authors have repeatedly reported on the significance of social support in cancer survival. Although overall the studies appear to be convincing, little... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
In recent years, authors have repeatedly reported on the significance of social support in cancer survival. Although overall the studies appear to be convincing, little is known about which types of social support promote better survival rates, and which subgroups of cancer patients are more susceptible to the benefits of it. The aim of this study was to identify, organize, and examine studies reporting on the significance of social support in cancer survival.
METHODS
The PubMed, CINAHL and EBSCO databases were searched using the keywords social support/marital status, cancer, and survival/mortality. Where possible we used a meta-analytical approach, specifically a random effect model, in order to combine the results of the hazard ratios in studies from which this information could be obtained. When interpreting clinical relevance, we used the number needed to treat (NNT).
RESULTS
Better survival was observed in married patients when compared to unmarried (single, never-married, divorced/separated, and widowed) in overall and cancer-specific survival. Gender group differences showed that the association was statistically significant only in cancer-specific survival when comparing divorced/separated male and female cancer patients (p < 0.001), thus confirming results from the previous meta-analysis.
CONCLUSIONS
Being unmarried is associated with significantly worse overall and cancer-specific survival. The most vulnerable group found in our study were divorced/separated men. The results of this review can motivate physicians, oncologists, and other healthcare professionals to be aware of the importance of patients' social support, especially in the identified sub-group.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Marital Status; Neoplasms; Divorce; Single Person; Proportional Hazards Models
PubMed: 35789072
DOI: 10.1002/cam4.5003 -
International Journal of Environmental... Oct 2022The risk of mortality in old age is associated with marital status and living arrangements. There is still little knowledge about this in Latin America. Our objectives...
The risk of mortality in old age is associated with marital status and living arrangements. There is still little knowledge about this in Latin America. Our objectives are to examine the association between marital status, living arrangements and mortality of older adults (>60 years) in Chile, and to test whether this association varies when demographic, socioeconomic and health factors are included. We used data from the Social Protection Survey, and mortality data were linked to the Civil Registry. We estimate a series of Poisson regression models. Our results show a clear association between marriage and longevity, since even controlling for demographic, socioeconomic and health factors, we found that separated or divorced, widowed, and unmarried people showed higher relative mortality compared to married people (IRR1.24, IRR1.33, IRR1.35, respectively). Considering only living arrangements, the results show that living alone, alone with children, with children and other relatives or in other arrangements is associated with higher mortality (IRR1.22, IRR1.27, IRR1.35, IRR1.35, respectively) compared to those living with their partners and children. However, considering marital status and living arrangements together, we find that survival among older adults was strongly associated with marital status. Marital status continues to be a direct measure of living arrangements among older adults in Chile.
Topics: Child; Humans; Aged; Middle Aged; Chile; Marital Status; Marriage; Residence Characteristics; Divorce
PubMed: 36360612
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192113733 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jan 2022Marital status mediates an association between physical activity (PA) and TV time with health outcomes. However, population-based studies have revealed that the health...
Marital status mediates an association between physical activity (PA) and TV time with health outcomes. However, population-based studies have revealed that the health effect of marriage or divorce is age-dependent and differs between women and men. The study aimed to identify the age and sex-related associations between marital status with PA and TV time. We used data from Vigitel, an annual telephone survey started in 2006 in Brazil. We applied a complex sample logistic regression model to estimate the odds for PA and TV time comparing marital statuses according to age and sex subgroups, independent of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, self-assessed poor health, and smoking. Our sample included 561,837 individuals from 18 to 99 years, with a TV time > 3 h/day (prevalence = 25.2%) and PA > 150 min/week (prevalence = 35%). Later, we divided our sample in seven age groups by marital status and sex. Compared to single individuals, married men and women were less likely to watch TV more than 3 h/day in participants >30 years old. When compared to single, married participants were less likely to do more than 150 min of PA/week at younger age groups. Married women older than 40 years were more likely to do more than 150 min of PA/week than the single ones, while there were no differences among married men by age group. In conclusion, our study suggests that the investments in public policies to encourage the practice of PA and reduction of TV time could be based on the marital status, sex, and age, prioritizing less active groups.
Topics: Adult; Divorce; Exercise; Female; Humans; Male; Marital Status; Marriage; Obesity
PubMed: 35010761
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010502 -
Current Oncology (Toronto, Ont.) Dec 2020Evidence about the impact of marital status before hematopoietic cell transplantation (hct) on outcomes after hct is conflicting.
BACKGROUND
Evidence about the impact of marital status before hematopoietic cell transplantation (hct) on outcomes after hct is conflicting.
METHODS
We identified patients 40 years of age and older within the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research registry who underwent hct between January 2008 and December 2015. Marital status before hct was declared as one of: married or living with a partner, single (never married), separated or divorced, and widowed. We performed a multivariable analysis to determine the association of marital status with outcomes after hct.
RESULTS
We identified 10,226 allogeneic and 5714 autologous hct cases with, respectively, a median follow-up of 37 months (range: 1-102 months) and 40 months (range: 1-106 months). No association between marital status and overall survival was observed in either the allogeneic ( = 0.58) or autologous ( = 0.17) setting. However, marital status was associated with grades 2-4 acute graft-versus-host disease (gvhd), < 0.001, and chronic gvhd, = 0.04. The risk of grades 2-4 acute gvhd was increased in separated compared with married patients [hazard ratio (hr): 1.13; 95% confidence interval (ci): 1.03 to 1.24], and single patients had a reduced risk of grades 2-4 acute gvhd (hr: 0.87; 95% ci: 0.77 to 0.98). The risk of chronic gvhd was lower in widowed compared with married patients (hr: 0.82; 95% ci: 0.67 to 0.99).
CONCLUSIONS
Overall survival after hct is not influenced by marital status, but associations were evident between marital status and grades 2-4 acute and chronic gvhd. To better appreciate the effects of marital status and social support, future research should consider using validated scales to measure social support and patient and caregiver reports of caregiver commitment, and to assess health-related quality of life together with health care utilization.
Topics: Graft vs Host Disease; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; Humans; Marital Status; Quality of Life
PubMed: 33380875
DOI: 10.3747/co.27.6327 -
Social Science & Medicine (1982) Apr 2021Recent studies have found that marital loss through divorce or widowhood is associated with a higher risk of dementia for older adults. However, whether these...
Recent studies have found that marital loss through divorce or widowhood is associated with a higher risk of dementia for older adults. However, whether these associations vary by race and gender is less clear. To address this gap, we drew upon longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study (2000-2016) to investigate the association between marital loss and dementia risk, separately for non-Hispanic Whites and non-Hispanic Blacks. We further examined gender variations in the link between marital loss and dementia risk within each racial group. Results from discrete-time event history models suggested that widowhood is significantly associated with a higher risk of dementia for both Whites and Blacks, controlling for basic demographic characteristics. However, while divorce is significantly associated with a higher risk of dementia for Blacks, the association is marginally significant (p < 0.1) for Whites. There are few significant gender variations in these associations except for the effect of divorce among Whites. Even after controlling for economic and health-related factors, we found that divorce is associated with a higher risk of dementia among White men but not among White women. Economic resources explain a significant portion of the association between widowhood and dementia risk, more so for Whites than for Blacks. Our findings call for more research into the pathways through which marital loss shapes the risk of dementia across racial and ethnic groups.
Topics: Aged; Dementia; Divorce; Ethnicity; Female; Humans; Male; Marital Status; Marriage; Retirement; United States
PubMed: 33713925
DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113808