Why marriage really IS good for your heart health

The researchers noted that their findings are in line with prior research that points towards increased heart surgery survival rates for those that are married.

At the post-surgery interview, 19 percent of married participants had died or developed a disability such as no longer being able to walk, compared with 29 percent of divorced or separated individuals, 34 percent of widowed participants, and 20 percent of participants of people who had never married.

Those who were divorced, separated or widowed were 40 per cent more likely to die or develop a life-impeding disability two years after the operation, researchers found. The participants undergo interviews every two years regarding health, functioning, medical care, and family structure.

This prompted doctors Mark D. Neuman and Rachel M. Werner of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania to use data from the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study, which has enrolled 29,053 adults 50 years of age or older since 1998.

In fact, divorced, separated, or widowed patients had a 40-percent greater chance of dying or becoming disabled in the 2 years after their operation.

Going into surgery, the married participants already tended to be healthier than their counterparts.

More research is needed to determine what mechanisms may explain the link between a person’s marital status and their survival after a major surgery, they said.

Specifically, these disabilities meant they were unable to perform independent tasks such as dressing, walking and eating. Those in the never-married group echoed similar results to the married group, but their numbers were so small, the researchers opted to not draw any conclusions from these patients.

When it comes to matters of the heart, it seems those who tie the knot really do fare better.

Married participants were more likely to be male and to demonstrate lower levels of other illnesses and disability before surgery. Not only do spouses provide emotional support, they are also there to help out with the recovery process.

Neuman and Werner believe that this may related to the social supports in influencing patients’ choice of hospitals and their self-care. A new study suggests this may be the case.