Life after divorce: a study of newly divorced middle-aged men in Sweden

Thirty-two divorced men aged 30 to 44 years answered a questionnaire within seven months after the dissolution of their marriages. They were asked for life circumstances (housing and working conditions, economic situation) and perceived health and a personal interview was also performed with most of the men. Primary health care records during the year of divorce were analysed according to number of visits and reasons for encounter. A majority of the men perceived working conditions as satisfying while about half of the men had moved to less satisfying housing conditions. They recorded a high number of psychological symptoms (insomnia, fatigue, anxiety) but this was not recognizable in the primary health care records. Ten men had had more than one divorce and in this sub-group there were several alcohol abusers. The importance of primary health care in the early recognition of the complex situation of divorced men is stressed.