Men, women in satisfying marriages have increased survival post coronary artery bypass grafting
FRIDAY, Aug. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Married individuals, particularly those in a highly satisfying marriage, are significantly more likely to be alive 15 years after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), according to a study published online Aug. 22 in Health Psychology.
Kathleen B. King, Ph.D., R.N., and Harry T. Reis, Ph.D., from the University of Rochester in New York, studied the effects of marital status and marital satisfaction on patient survival after undergoing CABG. A total of 225 patients who underwent CABG between 1987 and 1990 were evaluated for marital status at the time of surgery and marital satisfaction one year after surgery. Survival was assessed 15 years after CABG.
The investigators found that married men and women were significantly more likely (2.5 times) to be alive 15 years after CABG compared to those who were not married. The result for women was marginally significant after adjusting for age. Individuals in high-satisfaction marriages were significantly more likely (3.2 times) to be alive 15 years after CABG compared to those with low marital satisfaction. After adjusting for age, highly satisfied men were 2.7 times more likely to be alive (P < 0.3), and women were 3.9 times more likely to be alive (P < 0.15). The effect size for marital satisfaction was greater for women compared to men.
"We found that being married, and especially being in a highly satisfying marriage, offered a significant benefit to long-term survival after CABG," the authors write.
Abstract
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