DYADIC ASSOCIATIONS IN LATER LIFE: EXPLORING THE INTERDEPENDENT NATURE OF HEALTH AND MARRIAGE

• Published in: Innovation in aging 2017-07, Vol.1 (suppl_1), p.28-29
• Main Authors: Yorgason, J.B., Berg, C.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abstracts
• ISSN: 2399-5300; 2399-5300
• DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igx004.109

Age-related changes in health often necessitate spousal caregiving among older married couples. Such caregiving can impact relationship functioning and satisfaction. Likewise, positive and negative marital interactions may also be linked with mental and physical health. Indeed, marriage provides the context for illness management and caregiving for health problems among later life couples. Although published literature points to these associations generally, advances in dyadic research continues to elaborate and provide nuanced details of how and when health and marriage are linked. This symposium advances understanding of interdependent associations between health and marriage, with five presentations using dyadic data. The first and second papers address links between illness and relationship satisfaction, with the first paper examining ADLs and IADLs among caregivers, and the latter addressing specific severe illnesses among a large Korean sample. The third and fourth papers explore spousal support during and in relation to diabetes treatment, using quantitative and qualitative approaches, respectively. The fifth paper uses a daily diary design to explore actor and partner reciprocal lagged associations between health and marital interactions. The session discussant, Cyndi Berg, has expert knowledge of theory and research linking health and marriage in later life and during spousal caregiving. Together, the papers of this symposium present a unique dyadic examination of ways that health and marriage intersect for many older couples.