The Impact of Spouse’s Illness on Depressive Symptoms: The Roles of Spousal Caregiving and Marital Satisfaction

ObjectivesTo examine (a) the relationship between own depressive symptoms and spouses’ health condition changes among mid- and later-life couples and (b) the roles of marital relationship quality and spousal caregiving in this relationship.MethodFixed-effect analyses were conducted using data from 3,055 couples aged 45 and older from Waves 1 (2006) to 4 (2012) of the Korean Longitudinal Study on Ageing.ResultsSpousal stroke was linked with higher depression symptoms. Spouses’ onset of cancer was related to an increase in depressive symptoms for wives, but not for husbands. Spousal caregiving and marital satisfaction were significant moderators: Wives caring for spouses with cancer reported more depressive symptoms than those not providing care; husbands caring for spouses with lung disease reported more depressive symptoms than those not providing care. The associations between wives’ heart disease, husbands’ cancer diagnosis, and depressive symptoms were weaker for couples with higher marital satisfaction.DiscussionThe findings suggest variations across health condition types and gender. Relationship quality and caregiving are important contexts moderating the negative impact of spousal chronic illness on depression. Health care providers should be aware that spouses’ health statuses are connected and that type of illness may affect the care context.