The effect of widowhood on the health status of older persons

Interest in the relationship between stress and the onset of illness has stimulated research on the impact of various life events on health status. This article is an analysis of the health consequences of widowhood--the life event considered to require the most readjustment. Considering both objective and subjective measures of health, a structural equation model is developed and tested with panel data of a sample of elders. The findings indicate that widowhood results in an immediate decrease in perceived health but that the long-term consequences are minimal. Also, certain categories of elders shown to be health optimistic are able to maintain their optimism after widowhood. The results are interpreted as reflecting relativity in medical perceptions and favor a transitional model for explaining the normalization of disability.