Another perk of being married is highlighted in a new study in the U.S. where its findings show that marriage can ease your recovery after heart surgery. Married patients who underwent cardiac intervention are believed to recover and survive "significantly better" than those who are widowed, separated and divorced.
ABC News said in its report, "Marriage is literally good for the heart." The said study was published on Oct. 28 in the journal JAMA Surgery. "I think people recognize that social determinants of health are very important, but in terms of surgery very little has been done on how these related to functional outcomes," lead researcher Dr. Mark Neuman of the Perelman School of Medicine said.
The researchers from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia said they needed to look at how well the patients could perform everyday activities like dressing, eating and taking showers without help after the heart surgery.
They also explained that those who were divorced, widowed or separated were 40 percent more likely to die after heart surgery or develop a new disability within two years after the surgery.
On the other hand, a previous survey of 127,545 American adults found out that married men are healthier and live longer. And the longer they stay married, the greater their survival advantage will be.
The study co-author Dr. Mark Neuman, however, said that such association between the patient's marital status and his improved cardiac intervention recovery may only help doctors assess who may need intensive care as its primary reason has remained unknown.
"Survival advantages for married people may relate to the role of social supports in influencing patients' choices of hospitals and their self-care," the researchers said.
Further, Medical News Today also previously cited that married lung cancer patients have a better chance of survival than those who are unmarried.
Previous studies also revealed that recovering patients feel more weak, dependent and emotional especially after a surgery or medical intervention. And knowing that they have people (family and loved ones) whom they can lean on to simply makes them feel "well" or at least motivates them better to recover and survive such condition.
Now, this recent research finding may help you decide as to getting married or not.
