Healthcare Use Before and After Spousal Bereavement in Denmark
Author Information
Author(s): Oksuzyan Anna, Jacobsen Rune, Glaser Karen, Tomassini Cecilia, Vaupel James W., Christensen Kaare
Primary Institution: The Danish Aging Research Center, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark
Hypothesis
After a spouse's death, elderly men will reduce medication use and visits to general practitioners (GPs), while women will maintain or increase their healthcare utilization compared to their preloss level.
Conclusion
The study found no support for the hypothesis that reduced healthcare use contributes to more adverse health outcomes after spousal loss in men compared with women in Denmark.
Supporting Evidence
- Medication use increased for both men and women after spousal loss.
- Women generally had higher medication use than men before and after widowhood.
- There were no significant sex-specific patterns in healthcare utilization after bereavement.
Takeaway
When older people lose their spouse, both men and women tend to use more medicine and visit doctors more often, but men don't use healthcare less than women after the loss.
Methodology
The study analyzed healthcare use through a nationwide register of individuals aged 60 and older who became widowed between 1996 and 2003, assessing medication use and GP visits before and after bereavement.
Potential Biases
There is a potential for bias due to the reliance on register data, which may not capture all health behaviors.
Limitations
The findings may be country-specific and not generalizable to other settings.
Participant Demographics
Participants were individuals aged at least 60 years, with 66.5% being women.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.02
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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