In 2017, a study from Atlanta University published in the “Journal of the American Heart Association” established a statistical link between a person’s marital status and their risk of death.
In this case, the study, which involved more than 6,000 patients, showed a 52% increased risk of death from cardiac arrest in single, divorced, separated, widowed or never-married people, compared to married people…
In practice, the patients were followed for 3.7 years and, over this period, more than 1,000 deaths were to be deplored. In detail, concerning the risk of death by cardiac arrest, the study showed that it was increased by 40% for people who had never been married; 41% for divorced or separated persons; and 71% for widowed people. “I was somewhat surprised by the magnitude of the influence of marriage on heart patients,” the study’s lead author said in a statement from Atlanta University.
These data coincide with a French study by Insee in 2007. To partly explain this result, the researcher from Atlanta highlighted the social support provided by marriage, and the fact of having a companion or companion to “ take care of oneself.
Lack of confidence to manage illness
Five years later, this caregiver criterion is also at the heart of a new study, presented at the congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) in Madrid. “Social support helps people manage long-term conditions,” study author Dr. Würzburg, Germany.
“Spouses can help with treatment adherence, encourage and help develop healthier behaviors, which might affect longevity. In this study, unmarried patients had fewer social interactions than married patients and lacked the confidence to manage their heart failure. We are investigating whether these factors might explain the survival rate of these patients. »
This time, the study presented included 1,008 patients hospitalized between 2004 and 2007 for heart failure; 633 (63%) were married and 375 (37%) single, including 195 widowed, 96 never married and 84 separated or divorced. Initially, quality of life, social limitations (1) and self-efficacy (2) were measured using a questionnaire specially designed for patients with heart failure. Depressed mood was also assessed using a standard patient health questionnaire.
“Regarding the overall quality of life or depressed mood, explains Fabian Kerwagen, we did not observe any difference between the two populations. In contrast, the unmarried group scored lower on social limitations and self-efficacy than the married group. »
Adapt the dosage to the degree of celibacy
During follow-up, 679 (67%) patients died, and being single rather than married was associated with higher risks of death from all causes. Similar to the 2017 study, widowed patients had the highest mortality risk, with increased risks of 1.7 for all-cause death and 2.22 for death from cardiovascular disease, compared to to the married group.
“The link between marriage and longevity indicates the importance of social support for heart failure patients. A link that has really been demonstrated with the implementation of social distancing during the pandemic. Healthcare professionals should consider asking patients regarding their marital status and, more broadly, their social group in order to recommend the support of support groups in order to fill potential gaps”, continues Fabian Kerwagen. A lead for the many patients around the world and in France?
In 2017, the authors even went so far as to suggest that it might be important to consider a patient’s marital status in the treatment of their coronary heart disease! It would be a question of adapting the dosage to the degree of celibacy… A criterion which is not, for the moment, integrated into the prescriptions or the care!
Cardiovascular diseases in France and around the world
These diseases are a collection of disorders affecting the heart and blood vessels. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and by 2030 nearly 23.6 million people will die of cardiovascular disease ( heart disease or stroke, mainly).
The main risk factors for these pathologies are poor diet, lack of physical activity, smoking and the harmful use of alcohol. The WHO claims that these behavioral risk factors are responsible for approximately 80% of coronary heart disease and strokes.
In France, according to the French Federation of Cardiology, these pathologies represent the leading cause of death among women and those over 65, and the second among men. They cause 31% of deaths, these figures increasing each year, and are thought to be the cause of approximately 140,000 deaths per year, or 400 deaths per day.