(NewsNation) — Results of a newly published study question assumptions that married people are more likely to be happier and healthier than their single counterparts — at least where dementia is concerned.
Researchers who tracked more than 24,000 mature adults over nearly two decades determined that unmarried participants, including widowed, divorced or never-married people, had a lower risk for developing dementia.
The results were published recently in “The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.”
In explaining the findings, observers said married couples may experience greater levels of financial and emotional stress that quicken the onset of dementia, whereas single people tend to enjoy wider social circles and hobbies that keep brains active.
Researchers offer a major caveat to the data. They say married people are more likely to seek medical help if a partner shows early signs of memory problems, which may result in a diagnosis of dementia. In contrast, single people may not be as inclined to follow up and could receive the diagnosis much later.