Divorced Persons Research Articles

Divorce and risk of hospital-diagnosed infectious diseases

Although, divorce is considered to have a negative impact on morbidity, very little is known concerning exposure to divorce and risk of infectious diseases. We aimed to investigate the association between divorce and subsequent hospital contacts with infectious diseases. We performed a nation-wide cohort study, including all Danish men and women (n≈5.6 million) alive on the 1 January 1982 or later, and followed them for infectious disease diagnosed in hospital settings from 1982 to 2010. The association between divorce and risk of infectious diseases was evaluated through rate ratios (RRs) comparing incidence rates of infectious diseases between divorced and married pesons. Compared with married persons, divorced persons were overall at a 1.48 fold (RR=1.48 (95% CI: 1.47-1.50)) increased risk of hospital-diagnosed infectious diseases (RR adjusted for sex, age, period, income and education). The risk of infectious diseases was slightly more pronounced for divorced women (RR=1.54 (1.52-1.56)) than divorced men ((RR=1.42 (1.41-1.44)). The increased risk remained almost unchanged even more than 15 years after the divorce. Young age at divorce, short duration of marriage and number of divorces further increased the risk of infectious diseases, whereas number of children at time of divorce had no impact on risk of hospital-diagnosed infectious diseases following the divorce. Divorce appears to have a moderate but long lasting impact on the risk of infectious diseases the underlying mechanism is unknown but shared risk factors predicting divorce and infectious diseases could contribute to our findings.

Social Security and Divorce or Death Benefits Storyboard (S2D2BS): An Interactive Participant Learning Exercise

Using the concept of an interactive or living storyboard, the author discusses the use of seven case narratives constructed for the sole purpose of teaching introductory gerontology or geriatric students about the distribution of Social Security benefits after spousal death. Additional information is included pertaining to Social Security benefits payable to divorced persons after the death of the former spouse, including the status of married same-sex couples. Narratives include representations of a male breadwinner model couple, a two-earner couple who have similar/dissimilar earnings prior to retirement, a divorced couple with a remarriage after a death, a gay couple with and without children, and a female primary breadwinner couple. Updated information from the Social Security Administration, as well as information on game preparation, scripts, and debriefing questions are included.

Ohitorisama, Singlehood and Agency in Japan

: Postwar Japanese society has experienced significant demographic shifts. Of particular note are trends in marriage delay, increased divorce, increased rates of lifelong singlehood and an increased proportion of life spent unmarried. In this context, singlehood is increasingly experienced by women, for at least some period in their adult lives. Nonetheless, while greater numbers of Japanese are living as singles for a greater portion of their lives, marriage and childbearing remain key markers of contemporary Japanese womanhood. Living outside marriage – as a single, divorced or widowed person – suggests divergence from the ideal, even if it is just an unavoidable temporary state. This paper explores singlehood as a contested space of ideals and practices, and presents the notion of ohitorisama as one model of contemporary female singlehood.

Demography and Social Epidemiology of Admissions to the Colorado Insane Asylum, 1879–1899

This paper analyzes admissions to the Colorado Insane Asylum from 1879 to 1900. We estimate and compare admission rates across sex, age, marital, occupation, and immigration status using original admission records in combination with US census data from 1870 to1900. We show the extent to which persons in various status groups, who varied in power and social advantage, differed in their risk of being institutionalized in the context of nineteenth-century Colorado. Our analysis showed that admission or commitment to the Asylum did not entail permanent incarceration, as more than half of those admitted were discharged within six months. Men were admitted at higher rates than women, even after adjusting for age. Marital status also affected the risk of admission; single and divorced persons were admitted at about 1.5 times the rate of their married counterparts. Widows of either sex were even more likely to be admitted to the Asylum, and the risk increased with age. Persons in lower income/lower prestige occupations were more likely to be institutionalized. This included occupations in the domestic and personal service category in the US census, and this was evident for both males and females. Foreign-born men and women were admitted at, respectively, twice and three times the rate of their native counterparts, with particularly elevated rates observed among the Irish. In general, admission to the Colorado Insane Asylum appears to differ only in a slightly greater admission of males when compared to similar contemporaneous institutions in the East, despite the obvious differences in the Colorado population size and urban concentration.

Correlation between demographic and socio-economic determinants and awareness of risky behavior for development of cardiovascular diseases

Introduction. Awareness of personal cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk is relevant to risk behaviors modification. Objective. The aim of the study was to examine the correlation between demographic and socio-economic determinants and awareness of personal risk behavior related to increased cardiovascular risk. Methods. Used data derive from 2006 National Health Survey of the Serbian population. Study sample involved 14522 adults aged ³ 20 years. Participants with previous history of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events were excluded. Multivariate logistic regression was used for analysis of relationship between risk behavior perception as dependent variable and lifestyle factors, demographic and socio-economic variables. Results. Among 12868 participants included in the study 16.7% perceived that their behavior contributed to their increased cardiovascular risk. Perceptions of own risky behavior that leads to increased cardiovascular risk was associated with older age, female gender (OR=1.22; 95% CI:1.10-1.35), higher education (OR=1.27; 95% CI:1.07-1.51), higher wealth index (OR=1.17; 95% CI:1.02- 1.34) and tobacco consumption (OR=1.54; 95% CI:1.38-1.71). Single, divorced and widowed (OR=0.86; 95% IP:0.76-0.98) persons, participants from rural areas (OR=0.87; 95% IP:0.78-0.98) and physically less active (OR=0.86; 95% IP:0.76-0.94) were less likely to perceive that their own behavior contributes to the increased personal cardiovascular risk. We didn't prove significant correlation between awareness of risky behaviors and household size or poor dietary habits. Conclusion. This study showed low level of awareness of own risky behavior for the development of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk. There is a need for public and individual interventions with special attention directed to young, low educated and poor population.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in a Serbian Community

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may develop as a serious long-term consequence of traumatic experiences, even many years after trauma exposure. The objectives of this study were to examine the prevalence of lifetime and current PTSD as well as to detect the most stressful life events and sociodemographic risk factors of PTSD in a general adult Serbian population. The sample consisted of 640 subjects chosen by random walk technique in five regions of the country. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview 5 revealed an 18.8% prevalence rate of current PTSD and a 32.3% prevalence rate of lifetime PTSD. According to the Life Stressor Checklist-Revised, the bombardment, being expelled from home, siege, and participation in combat were the stressful events most likely to be associated with PTSD. The prevalence of PTSD increased among widows and widowers, divorced persons, unemployed persons, and retired persons. The high level of PTSD a few years after the trauma exposure classifies as a significant health problem that can cause serious consequences for families and the community as a whole.

Gender and Socioeconomic Status Differences in First and Second Marriage Formation

In this article, we address how first and second marriages are formed by asking whether SES has similar effects on first and second marriage entry. Like many studies of first marriage, we focus on gender, socioeconomic characteristics (education, income, and employment status), and gender differences in the effect of SES. To examine this question, we use the NLSY79 (n = 12,231 never‐married and 3,695 divorced persons), discrete‐time logistic regression, and heterogeneous choice models to test for statistically significant differences by gender and between first and second marriages. Our models show gender differences in first and second marriage entry, that the effect of SES on marriage entry differs between first and second marriage, and that the interaction between gender and SES has a unique association with marital entry for never‐ and previously married individuals. Our results have implications for understanding marriage formation, stratification across the life course, and the well‐being of divorced persons who remarry.

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet in Morocco and its correlates: cross-sectional analysis of a sample of the adult Moroccan population.

BackgroundDietary habits in Morocco are changing and the causes are not well understood. This study aimed to analyse socio-demographic factors associated with adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MeDi) in a national random sample of the adult Moroccan population.MethodsThe data collected in this cross-sectional survey included socio-demographic factors and a food frequency questionnaire. MeDi adherence was assessed in 2214 individuals with complete dietary data. MeDi adherence was measured according to a simplified MeDi score based on the weekly frequency of intake of eight food groups (vegetables, legumes, fruits, cereal or potatoes, fish, red meat, dairy products and olive oil) with the use of the sex specific medians of the sample as cut-offs. A value of 0 or 1 was assigned to consumption of each component according to its presumed detrimental or beneficial effect on health. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between MeDi adherence (low score 1-4 vs. high 5-8) and other factors.ResultsMean age of the sample was 41.4 (standard deviation 15.3) years, 45.4% were men and 29.9% had a low MeDi adherence. Married subjects (adjusted odds ratio ORa=0.68, 95% CI 0.55-0.84) were less likely to have a low MeDi adherence compared to single, divorced or widowed persons. Persons from rural areas (ORa=1.46, 95% CI: 1.02-2.08), were more often low MeDi adherents compared to those from urban areas. Obese persons (ORa=1.56, 95% CI: 1.16-2.11) were more prone to low MeDi adherence than normal weight individuals.ConclusionMeDi is far from being a universal pattern in the Moroccan population. Intervention strategies should be implemented in target groups to maintain the traditional MeDi pattern considered as the original diet in Morocco.

Cuestionario de Apoyo Recibido de la Ex pareja (CARE) : un instrumento breve paraevaluar la co-parentalidad post divorcio

This paper presents an instrument for assessment of the perception that divorced parents have about the support they receive from their ex partners in the care for their children. The CARE (Cuestionario de Ayuda Recibida de la Ex pareja) is an 8-item questionnaire created in Spanish. Data were collected in four different samples of divorced and separated persons and their children from different autonomous Spanish communities. Participants were 223 parents and 160 children from divorced families. Factorial analysis came up with a single factor accounting for 41.76 percent of the total variance. The CARE has appropriate psychometric properties: high internal consistency according to Cronbach´s alpha and convergent and discriminant construct validity, supported by its relations with measures of adaptation to divorce (CAD-S) in the case of the parents, and with behavioral problems (CBCL) in the case of the children.

PW01-109 - Epidemiology and characteristics of suicidal behaviour in general population in Slovenia

ObjectivesTo study and to evaluate the mental health of the general population of Slovenia with a special emphasis on suicidal behaviour.MethodsThe representative sample consisted of 846 randomly selected adult Slovene inhabitants, chosen from a pool of telephone subscribers (N = 2433). Data were gathered by the means of a telephone interview using standardised measures (RSES, Questionnaire of social support, Sense of Mastery) on specific variables related to mental health and suicidal behaviour, e.g. presence of mental illness, use of psychotropic substances, self esteem, sense of mastery of life, social support, etc.Results10% of participants have had suicidal ideation, 2% have had a plan for a suicide attempt (in both cases statistically significantly more women) whereas only 1% of the respondents actually attempted suicide. Greater risk for suicide was found among divorced and single persons and those living in rural areas. More than half of suicidal individuals didn’t seek help for their problems anywhere and those who did, mostly turned to relatives and friends. We observed statistically significant differences in help seeking among men and women (the later asking for help more). Suicidal individuals reported of statistically significant smaller social network, of smaller emotional support, lower self-esteem and lower feelings of having control over their own lives when compared to non-suicidal individuals.ConclusionOur results accord with specific theories of risk factors (sociological, psychological, etc.) and bear potential for directions to be taken when tailoring suicide prevention strategies, in particular when addressing the general population.

Forgiveness, Attachment, and Divorce

The aim of this work is to explore the place of forgiveness in the dynamics of divorce and the relation among forgiveness, demographics (gender, age and income, length of marriage, time passed since divorce, and the capacity to rebuild one's life), initiative and attitudes toward divorce, and attachment style and loneliness in a sample of divorced persons. A total of 40 divorced persons (18 men and 22 women) participated in this study. No differences in participants´ attachment style, forgiveness (yes–no), or forgiveness level related to gender were found. Forgiveness was related to age, years married, years divorced, income level, secure attachment, and romantic loneliness. Level of forgiveness was related to having remarried or lived with someone after the divorce, secure attachment, romantic loneliness, and unfavorable attitudes toward divorce. We found a negative association between initiative in the divorce and forgiveness and forgiveness level, and none with dependence—emotional or instrumental. Linear regression analysis showed that, in our sample, 37.4% of the variance of forgiveness was explained by security of attachment and age. Level of forgiveness was explained in 28.3% of its variance by initiative (negatively), secure attachment, and romantic loneliness.

Social Comparisons and Well-Being Following Widowhood and Divorce

A sample of 196 participants (mean age 45.94 years, 54% women) completed inventories assessing upward and downward positive and negative social comparisons and general well-being. Widows and widowers were higher on upward negative comparisons than divorced or married persons while being lower on well-being measures of life satisfaction and psychosocial adjustment. The divorced were higher than the widowed or married people on upward or downward positive social comparisons. Upward negative social comparisons were associated with lower levels of well-being measures whereas upward positive social comparisons showed an opposite tendency. Upward negative comparisons were found to mediate the effects of widowhood on well-being. It is concluded that cognitive adaptation contributes to the well-being of widowed and divorced persons.

Immigration and Suicide: The Role of Marital Status, Duration of Residence, and Social Integration

The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of immigration on suicide. An unmatched case-control design was employed. Data on cases were obtained on suicides in Riverside County, California, 1998 to 2001. Information on controls was obtained from the 2000 Census. Immigration increased suicide risk. Immigrant divorced persons were over 2 times more likely to commit suicide than natives. Single immigrants were nearly 2.6 times more likely to kill themselves than the native born. Shorter duration of residence was associated with higher suicide risk. Integration of immigrants in receiving societies is important for decreasing suicide. Policies aimed at reducing suicide should target more recent immigrants.

Predictors of Adjustment to Divorce of Palestinian Israelis: Shari'a Court Procedure and Outcomes

This article examines the association between features of legal proceedings in divorce and the emotional adjustment of divorced persons among a heterogeneous, mixed‐gender sample of 312 divorced Muslim Palestinian citizens of Israel. The findings show that legal factors had only a limited association with the emotional adjustment of the respondents. The only legal factor studied that contributed significantly to the respondents' adjustment was their satisfaction with the duration of the legal process. Neither satisfaction with treatment of the case nor with the legal representation made a significant contribution. Nor did any of the objective features of the process: initiation, prior attempts to resolve the conflict, prior suits for divorce, representation in court, or the actual duration of the court proceedings. In contrast, socio‐demographic factors and post‐divorce life changes did have an impact. Being better educated, employed, and male predicted better adjustment, as did having remarried and having better housing conditions than before the divorce.

Fear of Intimacy Among Married and Divorced Persons in Association with Physical Abuse in Childhood

In the current study, we investigated the association between physical abuse in childhood (PAC) and the fear of intimacy (FOI) in partner relationships. A total of 178 people, divided into the divorced (/V = 70) and the married groups (N=108), completed the questionnaire. We were interested in the differences in the FOI in partner relationships among men and women, with PAC as well as no PAC. We investigated these differences within both groups as well as between the two groups. There was a higher FOI among individuals with PAC. There was also a higher FOI among divorced persons with PAC than among married persons with PAC. In view of the two groups, the divorced group has a higher FOI than the married group. In general, the study showed that men with PAC have a higher FOI than women with PAC.

Stressful Life Events: Coping and Adjustment to Separation or Loss of Spouse

A sample of 130 participants (mean age = 49.36, 44.9% males), 52.3% divorced and 47.7% widowed, completed inventories assessing current well-being and adjustment, as well as life satisfaction before and after separation or loss, and coping strategies used during separation or loss. Widowed individuals scored higher on life satisfaction before than after the loss, while divorced individuals showed the opposite pattern in relation to separation. Widowed individuals used less problem-focused and less emotion-focused coping than divorced individuals. High current wellbeing was related positively to dating or living with a new partner, and to the use of problem-focused coping during separation or loss. In conclusion, the results suggest that problem-focused coping and dating after separation or loss are two important factors in the wellbeing of divorced and widowed persons.

Strategic Communication during Marital Relationship Dissolution: Disengagement Resistance Strategies

This study investigated the communication strategies used by divorced individuals who did not wish their marriages to end (non-initiators). Participants were 270 divorced persons drawn from divorce recovery and support groups as well as network sampling. An adaptation of Buss's (1988) taxonomy of partner retention tactics served to capture the communication strategies of non-initiators during marital dissolution. A factor analysis revealed that four disengagement resistance strategies—commitment, alignment, negativity, and harm—are used by non-initiators during the process of marital dissolution.

Converging or Diverging Views of Self and Other

Seventy married or divorced males and females rated their own and their partner's or ex-partner's ability for love and communication. Both married and divorced persons experienced that their (ex-) partner showed more lack of love than they did themselves. However, both spouse's saw themselves and their partner as experiencing the same degree of problems in the relationship. There were no clear differences in perceived speaking skills between self and partner and neither between married and divorced couples. On the other hand, there was a strongly significant tendency for divorced persons to see their partners as less able listeners than is true for oneself. It was concluded that the extent to which there is a self-other discrepancy in perceived listening, this seems to distinguish married from divorced couples.

Official marital status, cohabiting, and self-rated health—time trends in Finland, 1978–2001

Married persons are healthier and live longer than single, divorced, and widowed persons. Time trends in self-rated health (SRH) by marital status and cohabitation have remained largely unstudied. We aim to assess the levels and trends of SRH by official marital status and cohabitation, and to study the causes of these differences. Two nationally representative cross-sectional surveys were conducted 20 years apart in Finland. Data on self-reported marital status, SRH, education, smoking, and long-standing illness were collected from Finns aged 30-64 years in 1978-80 (Mini-Finland Health Survey, N = 6102, response rate 96%) and 2000-01 (Health 2000 Survey, N = 5871, response rate 92%). SRH has improved in the last 20 years, but differences between marital status groups have not reduced. In 2000-01, non-married persons reported worse SRH than married persons. Among men, single [cumulative odds ratio (COR) = 1.55; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.22-1.99] and divorced (COR = 1.55; 95% CI 1.17-2.05) persons showed the poorest SRH, while among women widows (1.53; 95% CI 1.04-2.26) were the most disadvantaged group. The SRH of cohabiting persons did not significantly differ from that of married persons. Differences in educational structure, smoking, and the prevalence of long-term illness explain part of the marital status differences in SRH among men, but less so among women. Among both single men and women as well as among widowed women, SRH had improved slightly less than in the other groups. The challenges on public health posed by growing numbers of currently not married people are likely to increase.

The Funen Neck and Chest Pain Study: Analysing Non-Response Bias by Using National Vital Statistic Data

To describe the Funen Neck and Chest Pain (FNCP) study and carry out a comprehensive non-response analysis of the quality of the survey. The FNCP questionnaire was sent out to 7000 randomly selected individuals aged 20-71 years living in Funen County, Denmark. A full description of the FNCP survey, analysis of selection bias (representativeness of the background population), selective bias (non-responder bias), and item non-response bias was performed by using Danish vital statistics. The adjusted response rate was 60%. Men, retired individuals, and individuals with lower income tended to be late responders. Women, people aged 50+, married individuals, and individuals with two or three children, with a higher educational level, living in a single house or with a high income were more likely to participate. Conversely, men, younger individuals, singles or divorced persons, individuals living in residential caring homes, and with lower educational level were less likely to participate. Adjustments based on design and logical omissions gave an overall missing data rate of 1.0%. In general, the frequency of missing data increased with age and was higher for women. The frequency of inconsistent answers was 0.34%. A comprehensive non-response analysis showed some sociodemographic discrepancies between the FNCP study and the background population. The pattern of missing data was strongly associated with the design of the questionnaire and with participants' willingness to answer only questions they considered relevant. These factors must be taken into consideration when results from the FNCP study are presented.