Patterns of economic change surrounding the death of a spouse

Article Abstract:

Although the elderly have improved their economic outlook in recent years, widowed women, who have little prospect of remarriage, often ride an ''economic roller coaster.'' Recent research has found that economic decline may actually predate the death of the spouse by several years. This study examined when and how these changes occurred by comparing widowed individuals with a similar sample of intact households. Differences related to conditions several years before the death, conditions in the years immediately preceding the death, differences caused by the type of death, and differences attributable to the death in the years immediately following were all considered. The study covered a total of 11 years. Surviving spouses were divided into those age 60 or older, and those under 60. Surviving spouses under 60 are more likely to be working and to have children still at home. The study included 530 widow households and 222 widower households. For comparison, 2,871 married couple households were also included. Five years after their spouses died, middle-aged and older men and women were substantially less well off than their married counterparts, confirming the findings of earlier studies. Younger widowers were less well off because they were not as well off before, and the loss of the wife's salary made a poor economic outlook worse. The increased economic power of women intensifies this outcome because of the greater impact of the loss of the woman's income. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Economic aspects, Widowhood

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Queuing up: when a word beginning with qu gets hot, quotidian readers need to brace for it

Article Abstract:

The word quotidian, meaning ordinary or everyday, has suddenly gotten very popular. Its roots and usage is traced, along with two other popular words, quondam, and quantum. Two popular African words with the qu sound discussed, are Kwanzaa and Kwaheri, from the Swahili.

Column, Language and languages, Etymology

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Mental health ... identifying depression, living with OCD, new treatments offer hope

Article Abstract:

Diagnosis and treatment of common forms of mental illness are discussed. The illnesses include depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, social phobia and alcoholism.

United States, Care and treatment, Depression, Mental, Depression (Mood disorder), Alcoholism, Alcoholism treatment, Bipolar disorder, Obsessive-compulsive disorder, Obsessive compulsive disorder, Phobias

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