Surprisingly, men die first in around 7 out of every 10 marriages, and women outlive their husbands in the other 3 cases
It can be said that one of the inevitable facts of life that a man and woman in a marital relationship will have to endure is that they will grow old and one of them will die. This then makes one ask – which of the two die first? Science has revealed some interesting patterns in which one party usually outlives the other in a relationship.
Husbands were more likely to predecease their wives
In statistical terms, the mortality rate is higher in men than in women. A survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics put male life expectancy in the US 5 years less than that of females. This gender gap maintained for years, which seems to give an insight into the current ranking of colleges and universities.
There are a few key reasons why women tend to outlive men:
- Biological differences: Men do not have some of the protective factors that female biology and estrogen provide for them. It is thought that estrogen improves the ability of the immune system in females. Another factor is that females have an additional X chromosome which is associated with more genes linked with the immune system.
- Lifestyle factors: Boys are more inclined to indulge in reckless actions such as excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, not buckling up when driving, etc These behaviors put men at risk of fatal incidences as well as critical health concerns early in life.
- Access to healthcare: According to research, females seek care a lot more often than males when it comes to regular checkups, illness, or injury. Males are more likely to hesitate before seeking medical attention due to the condition's progress.
- Occupational hazards: Men are more likely to work at blue-collar jobs which are risky and are more likely to be fatal on the job. Occupational diseases constitute 7% of all occupational risks and they are responsible for 93% of all occupational deaths.
- Attitudes about masculinity: Some men consider receiving help or admitting weakness as shameful and thus should not be a characteristic of a man. This makes them to miss out on healthcare and social support interventions that could enable them to live more.
In essence, while the man and the woman can be the same age while entering marriage, statistically, the wife tends to live longer than her husband by approximately 4- 5 years.
The following is an analysis of the effects of age differences during marriage
If the intended marriage involves a partner who is considerably older than the other, what would the family relations be like? Is the younger spouse more likely to survive than the older spouse? This depends on some factors that are either related or have to do with gender.
Research has revealed that when a man gets married to a younger woman, his chances of dying are higher than when he wed a woman his age. There is a visible acceleration in his mortality rate, especially given the age difference. One is that a young wife may not be in a position to cater or be as dynamic as the husband in terms of physical activities. On the other hand, the case of an older woman marrying a younger man has different results which show that marrying a young man translates to a longer life for the woman. This may be because she has her activity level and emotional support enhanced in the process as well.
Thus as age differences between the couples were wider previously, it is now found that the most favorable and healthiest relationship is when the difference in age between the couples is five years at the most. Not only can their life expectancies be closer but their interests, friends, maturity, and balance of power be completely different when there is a large age difference between them.
Length of marriage can be influential in adopting decisions in marriage as the following sub-themes will reveal
Is the period that a couple spends as a couple before the death of a partner relevant in the survival rates? Research also indicates that married couples are likely to live longer than singles, and the few years of marriage can significantly increase their life span. This is especially true with men as they are often seen as providers for the family and are expected to work to support their families.
Other studies showed that men who maintain a marriage for at least five years or more, gain an additional 10% chance of living longer than men who have never been married or those who have been divorced or widower. While the overall effect of marriage on mortality risk remains significant, its influence on the risk increases the longer a man is married. In one decade of marriage, a man’s chances of dying at a young age are reduced by 27 percent. By the age of 45, his risk reduces by 43% after 15 years.
Contrary to men, marriage contributes little to the improvement of the life expectancy of women. Non-married women and women who have been through divorce/ burial have the same mortality rates. But the life expectancy of women has some increase if they continue to be married for 15 years and above.
But, as the study shows that both partners live longer in marriage, men seem to gain more. Marriage brings social support, economic resources, better health practices, and stress control, which go a long way in ensuring that married men live longer than those without marriage.
The following is the classification of the Causes of Death by Gender:
It is clear that genetic predisposition and luck dictate everyone’s life expectancy, nevertheless, the studies reveal some similarities between the leading causes of death of both husbands and wives. The current life-threatening diseases show that the current killer diseases for men are heart disease followed by cancer according to the CDC. It does for women, though – cancer becomes the leading cause of death, with heart issues nipping at its heels.
Other leading causes of death that affect men and women differently include: Other leading causes of death that affect men and women differently include:
- Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases: These diseases include emphysema, asthma, and bronchitis and are estimated to be 70% higher in men.
- Stroke: Stroke could be fatal and more women lose their lives to it each year as compared to men.
- Alzheimer’s disease: Contributes to a higher percentage of deaths in females
- Diabetes: Getting killed due to diabetes is 27% more likely for men.
So even if both partners pass away at the same age, the husband is more prone to die from heart disease or diabetes while the wife is more prone to die from cancer or Alzheimer’s disease.
Coping With Loss
Death is a very sensitive topic, and thus, the death of a spouse is a very painful life event, irrespective of the age of the surviving spouse. It is very uncomfortable to know for sure that one of the partners will outlive the other but this information can help the partners prepare for this fact. Talking about the plans that have to be made at the time of the partner’s death, establishing a will, stating the preferences of the funeral, and getting everything set as long as both the partners are alive and healthy will make the death easier for the remaining partner.
Seeking grief counseling, attending a support group where the bereaved is with others who also lost a partner, relying on friends and family for support, or doing new activities can help overcome loneliness. In the long run, some widows/widowers may even get to a point where they wish to seek the company of a partner again. Grieving is a difficult process and there are no set rules for the ‘right’ way to progress through the grieving process or the timeline set for such process after the death of a spouse. The essence therefore lies in caring for oneself while the process of coping is achieved at one’s rate.
Research can help understand which partner dies first based on gender, age, or any other factors despite the general belief that death is certain to separate both partners in a marriage. Awareness of life expectancy rates could provide couples with better opportunities for happy moments in all stages of their lives.
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