Title | Marital history and survival after a heart attack. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2016 |
Authors | Dupre, ME, Nelson, A |
Journal | Soc Sci Med |
Volume | 170 |
Pagination | 114-123 |
Date Published | 2016 12 |
ISSN Number | 1873-5347 |
Keywords | Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Cohort Studies, Divorce, Female, Humans, Male, Marital Status, Myocardial Infarction, Prospective Studies, Retrospective Studies, Single Person, Spouses, Survivors, United States, Widowhood |
Abstract | Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and nearly one million Americans will have a heart attack this year. Although the risks associated with a heart attack are well established, we know surprisingly little about how marital factors contribute to survival in adults afflicted with heart disease. This study uses a life course perspective and longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study to examine how various dimensions of marital life influence survival in U.S. older adults who suffered a heart attack (n = 2197). We found that adults who were never married (odds ratio [OR] = 1.73), currently divorced (OR = 1.70), or widowed (OR = 1.34) were at significantly greater risk of dying after a heart attack than adults who were continuously married; and the risks were not uniform over time. We also found that the risk of dying increased by 12% for every additional marital loss and decreased by 7% for every one-tenth increase in the proportion of years married. After accounting for more than a dozen socioeconomic, psychosocial, behavioral, and physiological factors, we found that current marital status remained the most robust indicator of survival following a heart attack. The implications of the findings are discussed in the context of life course inequalities in chronic disease and directions for future research. |
URL | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953616305810 |
DOI | 10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.10.013 |
User Guide Notes | |
Alternate Journal | Soc Sci Med |
Citation Key | 8696 |
PubMed ID | 27770749 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC5127274 |
Grant List | K01 HL114750 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States R03 AG042712 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States |