| Title | Institutionalization of older adults after the death of a spouse. | | Author(s) | Nihtilä E, Martikainen P | | Institution | Research Unit, Department of Sociology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. elina.k.nihtila@helsinki.fi | | Source | Am J Public Health 2008 Jul; 98(7):1228-34. | | MeSH | Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Bereavement
Female
Finland
Health Status
Homes for the Aged
Humans
Institutionalization
Male
Nursing Homes
Retrospective Studies
Single Person
Socioeconomic Factors
Spouses
Widowhood
| | Abstract | OBJECTIVES: We investigated the risk of entering long-term institutional care after the death of a spouse in relation to the duration of widowhood among older Finnish men and women. We also examined whether high levels of education or household income buffered the effects of bereavement on institutionalization.
METHODS: We used linked register-based data on Finnish adults 65 years or older who were living with a spouse at the beginning of the study period (n=140902) and were followed from January 1998 to December 2002.
RESULTS: The excess risk of institutionalization was highest during the first month following a spouse's death compared with still living with a spouse (adjusted hazard ratio=3.31 for men, 3.62 for women). This risk decreased over time among both men and women. The relative effect of the duration of widowhood on institutionalization did not significantly vary according to the level of education or income.
CONCLUSIONS: Risk of institutionalization is particularly high immediately after the death of a spouse, demonstrating the importance of loss of social and instrumental support. | | Language | eng | | Pub Type(s) | Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
| | PubMed ID | 18511726 |
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