Who suffers more? Sex differences in health risks of the widowed

Explores whether differences in health risks after conjugal bereavement vary systematically with the sex of the widowed spouse. A review of the literature shows that differences in the effects of loss are substantial. Whereas some people recover from grief on the death of a partner relatively unscathed, for others bereavement is associated with extremely debilitating mental and physical effects that may persist for years. Opinions differ greatly on the relation of these effects to sex. The empirical evidence reviewed covers investigations of all major manifestations of normal and pathological grief: psychological distress and depression, mental illness, physical illness, mortality, and suicide. Evidence from both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies is considered. Although few studies are really strong, there is a convergence of evidence from both types of investigations across all areas reviewed: If there is a sex difference in conjugal bereavement reactions, it is the men who suffer more. Interpretations of these findings in terms of selectivity, stress theory, role theory, and interpersonal protection theory are discussed. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).