Marital Transitions Research Articles

The Longitudinal Evidence on Social Ties and Fruit and Vegetable Intake among Aging Adults: A Systematic Review.

Social ties are associated with the mortality and morbidity of aging populations; however, the role of social ties in healthy eating practices or gender differences in this link is less understood. The objective of this study was to examine the longitudinal evidence for the impact of changes in social ties on fruit and vegetable (FV) intakes among aging adults, with attention to gender differences. Medline, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, and ProQuest databases were searched until December 2022. Longitudinal studies evaluating changes in living arrangement, marital status, social network, or social participation and changes in FV intake among middle- and older-age adults were included. Data from the included studies were extracted using a standardized template and analyzed using a narrative approach. A total of 4956 titles were eligible after deduplication, and 75 full texts were screened. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria, and all examined marital transitions only. Five marital transitions were assessed: staying married, becoming widowed, becoming divorced, remaining unmarried, and becoming married. Both the quantity and variety of fruit and/or vegetables eaten were studied. Three of the included studies had only male or only female populations. The studies found that marital dissolution (divorce or widowhood), and remaining unmarried, were associated with reduced FV intakes in older women or men, compared with staying married. The associations were stronger in men than in women. Two studies showed that becoming married was associated with increased vegetable intakes, but 3 reported null results. The included studies were of medium quality. There is a paucity of longitudinal research on whether changes in social ties are associated with changes in FV intakes among aging adults. This review showed that specific marital transitions may influence healthy eating habits, especially in older men. No evidence exists on whether changes in other social ties might alter healthy eating. PROSPERO registration No. CRD42022365795.

Marital dissolution and cognition: The mediating effect of Aβ neuropathology

AbstractINTRODUCTIONWidowhood and divorce are extremely stressful life events that are associated with dementia, but the neurobiological underpinnings of this risk remain unknown. Amyloid beta (Aβ) load may explain influences of chronic stress, commonly seen in disruptive marital transitions, on cognitive decline.METHODSWe examined whether Aβ quantified by tracer uptake on positron emission tomography mediates associations between marital dissolution and executive functioning and episodic memory performance using data from 543 cognitively normal (CN) participants from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative.RESULTSMarriage dissolution was associated with increased Aβ burden (β = 0.56; P = 0.015) and worse memory performance (β = –0.09; P = 0.003). Aβ levels were a significant mediator for the relationship between marriage dissolution and memory (average causal mediation effect = –0.007; P = 0.029).DISCUSSIONFindings suggest that stressful life events, such as the dissolution of one's marriage, might exert an effect on Alzheimer's disease proteinopathy, which may subsequently influence poor cognition.Highlights Marital dissolution was associated with increased amyloid beta (Aβ) and memory declines. Aβ burden mediated associations between marital dissolution and memory. Findings were robust to potential non‐linear influences of age. Mediation results were not observed when stratifying marital groups by sex.

A systematic review of social connections as determinants of obesity: Longitudinal evidence limited to marital transitions.

Social relationships impact health and may affect proximal determinants such as obesity. Our review examined empirical evidence of the impact of changes in social relationships on risk of obesity in aging adults, with attention to gender. We systematically searched Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, CINAHL, and ProQuest Dissertations and reference lists of relevant reviews and papers published up to November 2022. Longitudinal studies examining changes in marital status, living arrangement, social participation, and social networks and anthropometric changes or incident obesity were deemed eligible. Relevant data were extracted and synthesized narratively. We identified 41,910 eligible titles, resulting in 252 full texts and 7 included studies. All studies were conducted in the United States and assessed marital transitions only; 3 studies included both women and men. Overall, compared with people who remain non-married, entering marriage leads to a significant increase in body mass index (BMI) for both genders. Conversely, transitioning out of marriage through widowhood or divorce leads to a decrease in weight (kg/lbs), waist circumference, and BMI for both genders. All seven studies were deemed to be of medium quality. Our review revealed a paucity of prospective evidence on social connections as determinants of obesity among aging adults. There is limited evidence that marital transitions are associated with changes in anthropometric measurements in aging individuals, but no evidence on the effects of changes in living arrangements, social participation, and social networks on anthropometric measurements. More research attention to the social determinants of obesity is warranted.

Role of hospitalisation for substance misuse in marital status transitions: a 47-year follow-up of a Swedish birth cohort

BackgroundSubstantial research suggests that the risk of substance misuse is higher among individuals who remain unmarried or experience marital dissolution, whereas marriage tends to be protective. However, few studies have...

EFFECTS OF MENOPAUSE AND MARITAL TRANSITIONS ON SUBJECTIVE SEXUAL SELF-EFFICACY AMONG MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Circumstances in aging including menopause, physical decline, widowhood, divorce and remarriage may influence sexual experiences and well-being in later life. While marital transition can affect both men and women in middle and older life, menopausal transition is especially salient for aging women. This study aims to examine how subjective sexual self-efficacy changes over time and whether marital transitions and menopausal transitions moderate the trajectories. Participants completed two waves of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) surveys (N = 1002), ranging from 40 to 84 years of age at baseline (M = 57.44; SD = 10.17) with over half being female (54%, n = 538). Factor analysis confirmed a one-factor model with a five-item subjective sexual self-efficacy construct. Over 10 years, 12% of participants experienced marital transitions, and 29% of women reporting menstrual status experienced menopause transition. Growth curve analysis was used the examine the research questions.

MARITAL BIOGRAPHY AND ACCELERATED AGING: EVIDENCE FROM THE HEALTH AND RETIREMENT STUDY

Abstract It is well-established that marriage promotes health and longevity. While a large body of research has examined marital status differences in health, no studies have focused on how marital status is linked to biological age. Moreover, the association between marital biography – transitions in and out of marriage across the life course – and biological aging also remains to be explored. Biological age, which refers to the “physiological functioning relative to the average physiological state at a specific chronological age,” has been steadily gaining attention as a measure indicative of an individual’s health status. In this study, we advance the literature on marital status and health by examining how marital status and marital transitions are associated with biological aging among a representative sample of U.S. older adults. We use an expanded measure of biological age that incorporates 22 biological indicators, more than half of which were not used in previous studies, to better assess how marital experiences shape accelerated aging. Using data from the 2016 Health and Retirement Study, we find that the pace of aging of those who have experienced one disruption is not statistically different from those continuously married. However, for both currently and previously married individuals, the experience of multiple marital disruptions is associated with accelerated aging. Health behaviors account for the association between multiple marital disruptions and accelerated aging for previously married older adults but not for currently married older adults. Psychosocial resources did not mediate the influence of marital biography on accelerated aging.

MARITAL STATUS TRANSITIONS AND INFLAMMATION DURING MID AND LATER LIFE: EVIDENCE FROM THE HEALTH AND RETIREMENT STUDY

Abstract Research has increasingly utilized inflammatory markers to understand how social factors influence health, yet little research to date has examined marital status, or–crucially–later-life changes to marital status in relation to inflammation. Further, few studies have examined variation in such associations by gender, race/ethnicity, or age. We used data from the 2016 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) Venous Blood Study (n=9,933), which captures five inflammatory markers: C-reactive protein (CRP), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin IL-10 (IL-10), Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF). Information concerning marital status came from the 2014 and 2016 waves of HRS, to ascertain stability of and changes to marital status over 2 years. Interactions were examined between marital status/transition groups and participants’ gender, age, and race/ethnicity. Overall, results were consistent across outcomes. Across 4 of 5 outcomes, the Newly Widowed and Never Married exhibited higher inflammation than the Continuously Married. Further, relationships between Continuously Widowed status and higher CRP and IL-6, and between Newly Widowed status and higher IL-1Ra, were present only for men. The association of Continuously Widowed status with higher CRP and IL-6 weakened with age, as did the effect of Newly Married status on IL-6. No clear patterns were identified concerning interactions with race/ethnicity. Findings indicate that marital transitions may have potential to harm physiological health. Negative consequences of widowhood for inflammation were also greater for men than for women, yet these harms may be attenuated at older ages when widowhood is an “on-time” rather than an “off-time” event.

MARITAL TRANSITIONS IN MID AND LATE LIFE

Abstract Marital transitions are common in mid and late life, yet little is known about what makes some middle aged and older adults thrive and others experience hardship through these transitions. This symposium will discuss antecedents, consequences, and moderators of adjustment to marital transitions in mid to late life. Monin and colleagues will address antecedents of divorce/separation, presenting results from a case control study showing that later stage dementia is associated with a lower likelihood of divorce/separation, and certain neuropsychiatric symptoms are associated with a greater likelihood of divorce/separation. In terms of consequences of relationship dissolution, Bourassa and colleagues will present findings from a study across a 20-year period of adulthood, showing that people with more breakups in adulthood have more advanced biological age in midlife. Two studies will discuss moderators of associations between relationship transitions and well-being. Carr and Choi will discuss the experiences of childless older adults who become widowed or divorced, and whether they suffer poorer mental health than their peers with children. They will show that childless widowed men and divorced men who lost a child to death have dramatically higher levels of social loneliness, relative to other men. Finally, Scheffer and colleagues will talk about the transition out of dementia spousal caregiving. They will present findings indicating that although caregivers’ emotional well-being and energy improves from moving from being an active caregiver to moving out of the caregiving role, those with lower household income had worse outcomes after caregiving ended.

Adolescent Adjustment to Parental Marital Transitions: Experiences in Urban, Rural and Suburban Communities

ABSTRACT This study aimed to (1) identify the perceived helpfulness of relationships and resources adolescents relied on in their transition to their parents’ divorce or separation and (2) to ascertain any differences in experiences with these resources and relationships based on rurality. A retrospective design was implemented with 47 young adults who experienced parental divorce or separation between the ages of 10 and 18. Three themes were constructed through coding reliability thematic analysis. Participants indicated that helpful resources and relationships provided support in: (a) managing emotions following parental marital transitions, (b) reframing the experience of a parental marital transition, and (c) assistance with boundaries following a parental marital transition. Nearly half of the rural participants did not rely on formal resources (e.g., therapist/counselor), but across rurality levels the perceptions of what made these relationships and resources helpful in adapting to a parental marital transition were similar.

Marital plans and partnership transitions among German opposite-sex couples: Couple agreement and gender differences

Marital plans and partnership transitions among German opposite-sex couples: Couple agreement and gender differences

Changing marital transitions and homeownership among young households

This paper shows that the evolving likelihood of marriage and divorce is an important factor that helps account for the changes in homeownership rates among young single households and married couples from 1970 to the mid 1990s. To investigate potential mechanisms behind these observed changes, I develop and estimate a life-cycle model that incorporates housing decisions and age-dependent shocks associated with marriage and divorce. The findings indicate that the declined likelihood of marriage, along with increased returns on non-housing assets, helps generate the observed rise in homeownership among singles aged 25-44 years. Conversely, the increased likelihood of divorce, in addition to higher house prices and labor market volatility, contributes to the decrease in homeownership among young couples.

Imbalanced Sex Ratios and Marital Transitions in Mexico

Migration from Mexico to the United States results in numerical imbalances between men and women in the communities left behind, but little is known about how these imbalanced sex ratios in Mexican communities affect family formation behavior. Using two waves of data from the Mexican Family Life Survey (MxFLS) and 2000 Mexican census data, we examine how the sex composition of the municipality population is associated with the likelihood that Mexican women and men marry. Consistent with demographic-opportunity theory, but not sociocultural theory, results from logistic regression analyses show that men’s probability of marrying is positively associated with the numerical availability of eligible women in the municipality population. Consistent with the argument that many Mexican migrant men, but not migrant women, remain eligible partners for those who remain in Mexico, the sex composition of the municipal population is significantly associated with men’s but not women’s likelihood of marrying.

Marital status, marital transition and health behaviour and mental health outcomes among middle-aged and older adults in Thailand: A national longitudinal study

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to assess the longitudinal association between marital status, marital transition, mental ill-health, and health risk behaviours among middle-aged and older adults in Thailand. MethodsWe analyzed prospective cohort data of participants 45 years and older from three consecutive waves in 2015, 2017, and in 2020 (analytic sample, n = 2863) of the Health, Aging and Retirement in Thailand (HART) study. Sociodemographic and health variables were assessed by self-report. ResultsBeing single was positively associated with current smoking among men and transitioning to widowed or divorced was associated with incident current smoking among women. Divorced or separated was positively associated with current alcohol use among men and transitioning to marriage was associated with incident alcohol use among women.Being single or widowed was positively associated with underweight and negatively associated with obesity among women. Men who were divorced, single, or widowed had higher odds of having depressive symptoms and among women, transitioning to being widowed or divorced or separated was associated with incident depressive symptoms. Among both men and women, being divorced, single or widowed were positively associated with poor quality of life/happiness, and among men being divorced, single or widowed was positively associated with loneliness, and among women, being single or widowed was positively associated with loneliness. Among men, being single was positively associated with having an emotional or psychiatric disorder. ConclusionWe found among men and/or women that being unmarried was associated with several health risk behaviours and mental-ill health indicators.

Marital transitions and frailty among middle-aged and older adults in China: The roles of social support

BackgroundThis study explored the association of marital transitions and frailty among Chinese middle-aged and older people and whether this association differs by social support. MethodsWe used a sample of 12,388 adults aged ≥45 years who participated in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) between 2015 and 2018. Between-wave changes in marital status (“married at both times”, “unmarried to married”, “married to unmarried”, “unmarried at both times”) were used to explore the changes in frailty measured by the frailty index (FI), which was constructed from 55 health variables. Social support was evaluated based on social engagement and intergenerational support. The associations among marital transitions, social support and frailty were analyzed using generalized estimating equations (GEEs). ResultsThe mean FI of 12,388 participants was 0.23 (SD = 0.13). Participants who were married to unmarried (β = 0.014, B = 0.005, P = 0.012) and unmarried at both times (β = 0.022, B = 0.003, P < 0.001) had significant a positive impact on FI compared with participants who were married at both times. Social engagement, financial support by children and providing care to grandchildren had an interactive effect with marital transitions in influencing FI. ConclusionsBeing unmarried may increase frailty among Chinese middle-aged and older adults. Financial support by children may mitigate the adverse effects of being unmarried on frailty.

An Econometric Assessment of the “Punishment” for Singlehood in Russia: Risks or New Opportunities in Life?

The paper focuses on the effect of having a marriage partner on health and well-being of Russians as compared with their single compatriots. The health status variation between those who are married and those who are single can be explained both by the protective effect of marriage and marriage selection. Using the Cox proportional hazards model on the self-perceived health data from the RLMS 2004-2019 individual questionnaire, while controlling for socioeconomic factors, lifestyle, and living arrangements, we have found that the protective effect of marriage is non‑existent in men, except for a short-term impact of marital transitions. Women are “punished” for their singlehood due to a lack of a partner in their young age, or being in an unregistered union, or the loss of a breadwinner spouse at the age of 50 to 64. In contrast, women over 65 benefit from singlehood.

Marital transitions during earlier adulthood and subsequent health and well-being in mid- to late-life among female nurses: An outcome-wide analysis

Comparing outcomes for individuals remaining married to those for single or divorced individuals might overstate the positive effects of the decision to marry, since marriage carries an inherent risk of divorce and its associated negative outcomes. While a growing literature has examined marital transitions, confounding by past marital history remains a concern and only a limited set of outcomes have been examined. To address these issues, this study examined incident first-time marriage and incident divorce/separation in relation to multiple subsequent physical health, health behavior, psychological distress, and psychosocial well-being outcomes in a large sample of female nurses in the U.S.. Data from the Nurses' Health Study II were studied (1993 to 2015/2017 questionnaire wave, Nmarriage analyses = 11,830, Ndivorce/separation analyses = 73,018, interquartile range of baseline age = 35 to 42 years). A set of regression models were used to regress each outcome on marital transition status, adjusting for a wide range of initial health and wellbeing status in addition to other covariates. Bonferroni correction was performed to account for multiple testing. Among the initially never married, those who became married had lower mortality (RR = 0.65, 95%CI = 0.50, 0.84), lower risks of cardiovascular diseases (e.g., RRstroke = 0.64, 95%CI = 0.50, 0.82), greater psychological wellbeing and less psychological distress (e.g., ßdepressive symptoms = −0.10, 95%CI = -0.15, −0.06). Among the initially married, those who became divorced/separated had lower social integration (β = −0.15, 95%CI = -0.19, −0.11), greater psychosocial distress (e.g., RRdepression = 1.23, 95%CI = 1.10, 1.37), and possibly greater risks of mortality, cardiovascular diseases, and smoking. Future research could study similar questions using data from more recent cohorts, examine potential mechanisms and heterogeneity, and also examine alternative social relationship types.

Marital transition is associated with food insecurity, low dietary diversity, and overweight in a female population in rural Ghana

Research from high-income countries shows that marital transition affects individuals’ nutrition outcomes. Yet, little is known about its effect on women’s food security status and nutrition outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, most published studies merge cohabitation and marriage into one category, but these statuses might have a distinct effect on nutrition outcomes in different settings. This study examined the association between the marital transition of women living in a rural district in Ghana and their food security status, minimum dietary diversity, and overweight (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2). This analysis used representative data from women with a child less than 12 months from the Upper Manya Krobo District, which was collected for the 2014 baseline of the Nutrition Links project in 137 villages (clinicaltrials.gov NCT01985243). Women’s marital transition was assessed by merging their current and previous marital status into five categories: i) continuously married; ii) remarried; iii) cohabitating with a previous union; iv) cohabitating with no previous union; v) single (majority never previously married). The adjusted logistic regression showed that, compared to women who were continuously married, those cohabitating—with or without a previous union—and those who were single were more likely to be food insecure (aOR = 2.49; 95% CI [1.31, 4.72], aOR = 2.01; 95% CI [1.13, 3.58], and aOR = 1.85; 95% CI [1.02, 3.38], respectively). Women who were cohabitating—with or without a previous union—were more likely not to meet the minimum dietary diversity than those who were continuously married (aOR = 1.82; 95% CI [0.98, 3.38] and aOR = 1.78; 95% CI [1.01, 3.12], respectively). Finally, compared to the continuously married group, cohabitating women with no previous union were less likely to be overweight (aOR = 0.40; 95% CI [0.22, 0.74]). These results are consistent with previous publications that showed married women were wealthier and more overweight. Moreover, these results indicate that cohabitation affects nutrition-related outcomes differently compared to marriage in a sub-Saharan setting. More attention must be placed on better understanding the social aspects that link women’s marital transition to diet and nutrition outcomes. Key words: Marriage, marital status, food security, diet, overweight, women, Ghana, Africa

Marital transition and cognitive function among older adults: the korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (2006–2020)

BackgroundMarital status has been suggested as an associated factor for cognitive impairment. The consequences of marital transitions are still understudied. This study evaluated the influence of marital transitions on cognitive function using longitudinal, nationwide data of Korean older adults.MethodsThis research comprised a longitudinal sample of older adults aged ≥ 45 years old, drawn from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (2006–2020). Marital transition was determined through the biennial assessment of change in marital status; cognitive function was measured using the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination. We employed general estimating equations to assess the temporal effect of marital transition on cognitive function.ResultsCompared to married individuals, the odds ratios (ORs) of cognitive decline were higher in not married and transitioned out of marriage participants: men (OR 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.96–1.82; OR 1.42, 95% CI 0.90–2.24), women (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.03–1.42; OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.01–1.52), respectively, despite the findings being not statistically significant in men. The participants who transitioned out of marriage over time also showed greater ORs for mild cognitive impairment: men (OR 1.39, 95% CI 0.79–1.87), women (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.05–1.80), and dementia: men (OR 1.60, 95% CI 0.85–1.99), women: (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.20–2.19).ConclusionMarital transition is found to be associated with cognitive function decline. Not-married individuals and those who became divorced or widowed were associated with the risk of cognitive function decline. Particular attention should be paid to these marital transitioned groups.

The transition to parenthood, opportunity to drink, drinking, and alcohol use disorder

BackgroundThis study used life histories from a setting of near universal marriage and childbearing (Nepal) to identify associations between both marital transitions and the transition into parenthood and alcohol use and disorder (AUD). MethodsA retrospective, cross-sectional survey using life history calendars documented lifetime marital and childbearing histories of 4876 men and 5742 women aged 15–59 in 2016–18. The clinically validated, Nepal-specific Composite International Diagnostic Interview assessed first alcohol use opportunity, use, and disorder. ResultsBeing never married increased the odds of having the opportunity to drink for men (OR=1.30, 95% CI=1.14 – 1.48, p < 0.001) and women (OR=1.24, 95% CI=1.08 – 1.43, p = 0.003) compared to being married. While men were never married, widowed, or divorced they were at a greater risk of developing AUD. The transition to parenthood significantly increased the odds of AUD onset for men (OR=1.71, 95% CI=1.12 – 2.61, p = 0.013), independent of marital transitions. For women in this setting, becoming divorced increased the odds of having their first drink (OR=1.77, 95% CI=1.14 – 2.75, p = 0.011). Giving birth to a first child also increased the odds of first opportunity to drink for women (OR=1.30, 95% CI=1.07 – 1.57, p = 0.008). ConclusionsWe found associations between marital transitions and AUD that are consistent with findings worldwide. In this setting of near universal childbearing, the transition into fatherhood increased the odds of postpartum AUD among men.

How Do Marital Transitions Affect Self-Perceptions of Aging?

We analyzed whether marital status and experiences of marital loss or gain were associated with self-perceptions of aging (SPA), a major psychosocial mechanism of healthy aging. We used data from 7028 participants of the Health and Retirement Study. Participants reported their marital status and their positive and negative SPA on two occasions 4years apart. We ran general linear models to analyze differences in SPA between men and women who remained married, became divorced or widowed, or remarried following divorce or widowhood. Participants who experienced marital loss had lower positive SPA than participants who remained marred. Participants who experienced marital gain had lower negative SPA than participants who remained married. None of the associations differed between men and women. Results suggest that it may not be marital status itself, but rather the transition into or out of marriage, that impacts how people appraise their own aging.