Longitudinal changes in mental and physical health among elderly, recently widowed men

Abstract

ABSTRACT Mental and physical health, morale and social functioning were assessed in a sample of elderly men widowed during the course of a longitudinal study. Measures were taken before these men were widowed, and then re-measured four years later, after they had been widowed. They were compared with a sample of age-matched still-married controls. There were no significant differences as a result of either marital status or time for mental health, morale or social functioning. However, there were significant interactions between time and marital status for these variables. Those men who had recently become widowed showed declines in mental health, morale and social functioning. Physical health showed a significant difference for time alone, with both the widowed and still-married men showing declines in physical health over the four year period. The results confirm earlier findings which indicate that men’s mental health and morale is affected by widowhood. They also show that men reduce their participation in social activities following bereavement. This is of particular interest since it is in marked contrast to the evidence of stability in this area of functioning among women. The implications of this finding, and the others, are examined. One of the most profound life events which many elderly people have to face i