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April 22, 2010
New research seeks to determine impact of marriage on health.
The New York Times (4/18, Parker-Pope) reports, "Contemporary studies...have shown that married people are less likely to get pneumonia, have surgery, develop cancer, or have heart attacks. A group of Swedish researchers has found that being married or cohabiting at midlife is associated with a lower risk for dementia."
Indeed, "for many years, studies like these have influenced both politics and policy, fueling national marriage-promotion efforts, like the Healthy Marriage Initiative of the US Department of Health and Human Services. From 2006 to 2010, the program received $150 million annually to spend on projects like 'divorce reduction' efforts and often cited the health benefits of marrying and staying married." Yet, "while it's clear that marriage is profoundly connected to health and well-being, new research is increasingly presenting a more nuanced view of the so-called marriage advantage."
Related Links:
- Is Marriage Good for Your Health?," Tara Parker-Pope, New York Times, April 12, 2010.
Posted by admin at April 22, 2010 07:00 PM