Marriage may save your heart — at least, after major surgery

A new study has found that marriage may actually save your heart, at least after surgery. Research showed that single, widowed or divorced patients were 40% more likely to succumb to post-surgery mortality than their married counterparts.

Why marriage helps support survival instead of contributing to new functional disabilities is unclear, though it has been proven that marriage provides social and emotional support that patients without mates probably don’t receive.

Dr. Mark Neuman and Dr. Rachel Warner began their study of marriage and its effect on patient outcomes in 1998. They checked in with their participants every year until 2010, for a full 12 years of data collection. The data revealed that married participants were not only 40% less likely to die; they were also less likely to develop functional disabilities.

The researchers say more studies need to be done to further pinpoint the correlation between marital status and surgical outcomes. One good guess might be that patients who are alone might be less likely to partake in self-care as they age. This would not only diminish their post-surgery survival rates, but also increase their likelihood of losing certain physical abilities sooner if they aren’t performed as often, such as changing shirts or even walking.

Source:

UPI.com