By Ko Dong-hwan
Argumentative couples face a higher risk of death in middle age due to the elevated level of stress and anxiety, according to researchers from Denmark.
Men are more vulnerable than women and unemployed more susceptible than people with stable income, according to a research team led by the University of Copenhagen’s Rikke Lund.
The finding was based on a study of 9,875 men and women aged between 36 and 52. The focus of the study was to explore the connection between premature deaths and mental distress caused by tumultuous social relationships.
Lund’s team concluded that around 315 deaths per 100,000 people per year could be caused by spousal demands and worries. The risk of early death is two or three times higher among couples arguing frequently, according to the study.
The researchers, however, said further research is needed to confirm the cause of the higher number of deaths and how they are linked to spousal stress.