Married Couples Live In Health, Shared Sickness
Screenings Could Target Those Who Live Together
POSTED: 10:19 a.m. EDT September 20, 2002
People married to someone with asthma, depression and peptic ulcers are 70 percent more likely to suffer from the same diseases themselves.
Those whose partners suffer from conditions such as high blood pressure and hyperlipidaemia (excess cholesterol in the blood) were also more likely to suffer from the same conditions as their spouse.
Researchers from the University of Nottingham studied more than 8,000 married couples to get the results.
The link, they said, is most likely to be caused by the couple's living environment, with shared factors putting cohabiting partners at risk of developing the same diseases. The finding for asthma may be due to shared diet or shared exposure to allergens, while findings for hypertension and hyperlipidaemia suggest that diet and the pattern of physical exercise shared by couples has an important role in the disease's cause.
Another possible explanation for the findings is that couples may share similar attitudes towards healthcare and seeking health advice.
The researchers claim their findings could have implications for screening and other interventions. Interventions targeted at couples may prove more effective and screening spouses for some diseases should be considered, they said.
Copyright 2002 by clickorlando.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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