Leader: Chiara Ludovica Comolli (Unibo); Other collaborator(s): Diego Pieroni (INPS), Valentina Ricci (INPS)
Bereavement, the death of a relevant kin, increases death risks and affects physical and mental health, especially, but not exclusively, in the short run. Consequences differ across socio-demographic groups and depend on a range of other variables such as circumstances of death, ways of coping, living conditions, social interactions, previous medical disorders, or age-related frailty. Using social security register data from INPS and survey data, we aim to investigate these connections, focusing in particular on the role of existing heterogeneities across social groups. Special attention will be devoted to the actions that can be taken to alleviate the negative consequences of bereavement, and on their timing.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results: The research objective of this Task is to investigate the effect of spousal loss on mortality and health among retirees. The analyses are conducted using data held by INPS on the mortality risk of married or widowed pensioners, taking into consideration heterogeneities by gender, age, region of residence, and the socioeconomic status of the individuals concerned. Our findings so far point to the importance of the consequences of bereavement - a growing phenomenon in a rapidly aging society like Italy – on the health, mortality, and life expectancy of the surviving spouse. In particular, different dimensions of vulnerability interact, sometimes compensating, sometimes exacerbating the negative effects of widowhood on the surviving partner.
As in other contexts, the bereavement effect is lower among individuals who already had a high mortality risk before, except for women, who are less affected by spousal death than men We notably also find that socioeconomic resources affect mortality more weakly among individuals who experienced spousal death compared to married individuals. Finally, women in the lowest income quintile tend to be the primary figure taking care of their sick spouse. Once their husbands die, they are relieved from their caring duties and their mortality risk immediately drops to return higher after one year. First, the issue of the role of the intersection between gender and socioeconomic status in shaping the life expectancy of widowed pensioners seems particularly relevant and worthwhile for future additional investigation. Second, in light of these findings, it seems crucial to investigate further what happens before spousal death and to interpret bereavement not as a 0/1 event but more as a complex, multidimensional process that unfolds over time.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications: Our preliminary findings suggest that stronger policies fostering gender equality in care duties and more equal territorial opportunities in access to care facilities would alleviate the strong gender and territorial inequalities in the health and mortality consequences of widowhood in the Italian context.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
The research objective of this Task is to investigate the short- and long-term effect of spousal loss on mortality and life expectancy among retirees. We exploited the INPS dataset to estimate the mortality risk of married and widowed pensioners, taking several covariates into consideration (gender, age, region of residence, and socioeconomic status).
Our findings so far point to substantial consequences of bereavement – a growing phenomenon in a rapidly aging society like Italy – on mortality and life expectancy of the surviving spouse both in the first year after spousal death and subsequently. Different dimensions of vulnerability interact, sometimes compensating, sometimes exacerbating the short- or long-term negative effects of widowhood on the surviving partner.
As in other contexts, the bereavement effect is lower among individuals who already had a high mortality risk before, except for women, who are less affected by spousal death than men. More interestingly, widowed women in the lowest income quintile present a drop in mortality risk immediately after their husbands’ deaths; their mortality risk increases only later, after one year. Our hypothesis is that for these women who, more than in other income groups, tend to represent the primary figure taking care of their sick spouse, the bereavement effect on mortality is initially counterbalanced by a ‘relief from care’ effect.
To shed light on this finding, our recent efforts have been concentrated on investigating the role of couples’ characteristics in mediating the impact of bereavement on mortality, in particular the role of spouses’ age and income differences. Our preliminary findings on these differences point to even greater complexity. Greater age differences between the spouses (men older than women) – hypothesized to belong to more gender traditional couples and greater burden of care placed on women – is, in line with expectations, associated to greater bereavement effect for widowers and a lower risk for widowed women. Greater income inequality (husbands earning at least 50% more than their wives) is instead associated with the largest bereavement effect for women and smallest for men. Men display the greatest bereavement effect in couples with a more gender equal income distribution and in female breadwinner couples. In the latter, we find no increased risk of mortality for widowed women.
Main policy/industry/practical implications
Our preliminary findings suggest that stronger policies fostering gender equality in care duties and more equal territorial opportunities in access to care facilities would alleviate the strong gender, socioeconomic and territorial inequalities in the mortality consequences of widowhood among Italian pensioners.
Bereavement, the death of a relevant kin, affects physical and mental health, death risks, and life expectancy. Yet, consequences differ sharply across socio-demographic groups. Using social security register data from INPS, our task is to investigate the intersection of multiple vulnerability factors in the bereavement effect.
In the period under examination, we analyzed INPS data on the mortality risk of married or widowed pensioners, taking into consideration the intersection between gender, age, region of residence, and the socioeconomic status of the individuals concerned. We published a working paper entitled ‘Mapping bereavement effect among pensioners in Italy’ presenting an illustration of the size and diffusion of the widowhood phenomenon among pensioner in Italy, and the magnitude of the bereavement effect by specific sociodemographic groups and regions.
We also investigated the role of couples’ characteristics in mediating the impact of bereavement on mortality, in particular the role of spouses’ age and income differences. Our preliminary findings on these differences point to even greater complexity. Greater age differences between the spouses (men older than women) – hypothesized to belong to more gender traditional couples and greater burden of care place on women – is, in line with expectations, associated to greater bereavement effect for widowers and a lower risk for widowed women. Greater income inequality (husbands earning 50% more than their wives) is instead associated with the largest bereavement effect for women and the smallest for men. Men display the greatest bereavement effect in couples with a more gender equal income distribution and in female breadwinner couples. In the latter, we find no increased risk of mortality for widowed women. We have started working on a new scientific publication based on these new findings.
Our preliminary findings suggest that stronger policies fostering gender equality in care duties and more equal territorial opportunities in access to care facilities would alleviate the strong gender, socioeconomic and territorial inequalities in the mortality consequences of widowhood in the Italian context.
Coming soon