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Institutionalization of older adults after the death of a spouse

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  • Nihtilä, E.
  • Martikainen, P.

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Nihtilä, E. & Martikainen, P., 2008. "Institutionalization of older adults after the death of a spouse," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 98(7), pages 1228-1234.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2007.119271_2
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2007.119271
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    Cited by:

    1. Arjen Hussem & Casper Ewijk & Harry Rele & Albert Wong, 2016. "The Ability to Pay for Long-Term Care in the Netherlands: A Life-cycle Perspective," De Economist, Springer, vol. 164(2), pages 209-234, June.
    2. Gourieroux, Christian & Lu, Yang, 2015. "Love and death: A Freund model with frailty," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 191-203.
    3. Arjen Hussem & Casper Ewijk & Harry Rele & Albert Wong, 2016. "The Ability to Pay for Long-Term Care in the Netherlands: A Life-cycle Perspective," De Economist, Springer, vol. 164(2), pages 209-234, June.
    4. Herbert J A Rolden & David van Bodegom & Rudi G J Westendorp, 2014. "Changes in Health Care Expenditure after the Loss of a Spouse: Data on 6,487 Older Widows and Widowers in the Netherlands," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(12), pages 1-17, December.
    5. Chongming Wang & Brent Yarnal, 2012. "The vulnerability of the elderly to hurricane hazards in Sarasota, Florida," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 63(2), pages 349-373, September.
    6. van den Berg, Gerard J. & Lindeboom, Maarten & Portrait, France, 2011. "Conjugal bereavement effects on health and mortality at advanced ages," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 774-794, July.
    7. Stefania Ilinca & Ricardo Rodrigues & Stefan Fors & Eszter Zólyomi & Janet Jull & Johan Rehnberg & Afshin Vafaei & Susan Phillips, 2022. "Gender differences in access to community-based care: a longitudinal analysis of widowhood and living arrangements," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1339-1350, December.

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