Examining the 16-year trajectories of mental health and wellbeing through the transition into widowhood

Abstract

Background: Becoming widowed is a significant event. There is considerable evidence that surviving partners report substantial changes in their wellbeing and mental health. Changes can occur prior to partner’s death as an anticipatory effect and consequently during the period after partner’s death. For most, declines in wellbeing and mental health dissipate over time. However, there is a limited long-term evidence to compare age-normative trajectories in mental health and wellbeing with the trajectories of those who transition into widowhood. Methods: Participants (n = 652) were older adults (aged 65–94 years at baseline) from the 16-year Melbourne Longitudinal Studies on Healthy Ageing project who were either married or de facto (n = 577), or recently widowed (n = 75). Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) examined the immediate and long-term impact of widowhood. GEE piecewise regression analyses examined the trajectories of wellbeing and mental health in those who transitioned into widowed with time centered at time of partner’s death. Analyses were stratified by gender. Results: For both men and women, becoming widowed was strongly related to a strong decline in positive affect post partner’s death. Otherwise, no long-term impact of widowhood on negative affect or depressive symptomology was reported. Conclusions: The impact of widowhood reports differential impacts on different indicators of wellbeing and mental health, which were inconsistent between men and women.