Marital status, partner satisfaction, and depressive symptoms in older men and women

To determine if marital status is associated with depressive symptoms in men and women, and to determine if partner satisfaction is associated with depressive symptoms.

Community-dwelling adults (n = 1751) aged 65 years and older were sampled from a representative population-based registry. Age, sex, education, and marital status were self-reported. Satisfaction with living partner was assessed with an item from the terrible-delightful scale. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression was used to assess depressive symptoms, with a score of 15 or more indicating depressive symptoms.

Only 3% of the sample were dissatisfied with their living partner, and those who were dissatisfied with their living partner had higher levels of depressive symptoms. Proportions of men with depressive symptoms were: 20.6% for never married; 19.2% for separated or divorced; 17.3% for widowed; 7.3% for married (satisfied); and 38.1% for married (dissatisfied) (chi square = 32.98, df = 4, P < 0.001). In women, the results were different: 11.8% for never married; 23.1% for separated or divorced; 15.4% for widowed; 14.4% for married (satisfied); and 41.9% for married (dissatisfied) (chi square = 18.33, df = 4, P < 0.001). In logistic regression models, a significant interaction term was seen for Marital status Sex. In stratified models, adjusting for age and education, an effect of marital status was seen in men, but not in women.

The effects of marriage on depressive symptoms in men and women may be different, with lower levels of depressive symptoms in married men, compared with unmarried men, but similar rates in married women, compared with unmarried women. Dissatisfaction with their partner was uncommon, but highly associated with depressive symptoms.