Assessing spousal support and health in an aging population: support and strain amidst changing social dynamics

This study examined the role of relationship quality on physical and psychological health among older adults. It included 2,298 adults aged 50 and older who participated in the Midlife in the US national longitudinal study of health and well-being. We assessed the effect of spousal support and strain on psychological and physical health, controlling for age, education, income, depression levels and prior health. Results indicated that spousal support and strain affected psychological health but not physical health. Despite prior research showing an association between marital quality and physical health, this study did not support the conceptualization that relationship quality measured by spousal support or strain has a direct effect on long-term health in this sample of older adults. This study does not preclude the presence of a mediated or moderated association between relationship quality and physical health. Higher levels of spousal support are associated with positive psychological health among adults over age 50 while spousal strain is associated with negative psychological health. This study supports the premise that relationship quality has an ongoing impact on the psychological health of mature adults, bolstering arguments to include psychological health screening and couples relationship education among health services provided to older adults.