Who Dies after Widow(Er)Hood? A Discriminant Analysis

Abstract

A random sample of 503 elderly widowed people was flagged by the British Office of Population Censuses and Surveys for six years after their bereavement. Excess mortality after widow(er)hood was found for males aged seventy-five and over, in comparison with males of the same ages in the general population. Bivariate analyses showed a relationship between social, demographic, psychological, and some physiologically related variables (e.g., medication taking) and mortality. Multivariate analysis showed that the most powerful discriminating variables, independently associated with mortality, were: age seventy-five plus, a low happiness rating by interviewers, social class I and II, male sex, and having no one to telephone. It appears that those in older age groups and males may be more vulnerable after bereavement; it is also possible that certain social contact and a happier disposition may have modifying effects on the stress of bereavement and risk factors associated with subsequent mortality.