Health and partnerships

Gerald R. Nowak and Hui Liu

Chapter Chapter 17 in Research Handbook on Partnering across the Life Course, 2025, pp 203-213 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: A significant body of literature has extensively examined associations between partnered relationships and health. Marriage, as the most widely studied type of partnered relationship, is associated with a variety of improved mental and physical health outcomes. Recent studies have also highlighted that other types of partnerships, such as non-marital cohabitation and same-sex partnerships, may also be associated with health advantages analogous to marriage, albeit to varying degrees. However, the dissolution of any partnered relationship, either marriage or cohabitation, often has negative consequences on physical health and mental well-being. Nevertheless, it is important to note the consequences of partnered relationships or their dissolutions are not uniform and can vary depending on various factors, including the gender and/or sexual orientation of each partner. In light of the extant body of literature around partnered relationships and health, this chapter aims to provide a cohesive overview of what is known on these topics. First, drawing from scholarship across multiple fields, we discuss the existing theoretical and empirical understanding of marriage, cohabitation, and relationship dissolution in relation to a wide range of health outcomes, such as depression, disease, cognitive decline, and mortality. Second, we delineate how the association between partnered relationships and health is modified by gender and sexual minority status. We conclude by assessing where gaps in the literature exist and how emergent global circumstances (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic) may influence future study of these topics.

Keywords: Marriage; Cohabitation; Partnership; Health; Mortality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781803923376
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