A new study by Harvard Medical School and the University of Pennsylvania reports that people who have lost a spouse within the last 30 days are significantly more likely to die. The study followed more than 518,000 couples older than 65. It found that:
The death of a wife in the previous 30 days increased a husband’s risk of death by 53 percent, and the death of a husband increased a wife’s risk of death by 61 percent. Additionally, the hospitalization of one partner elevated health risks for the other partner for nearly two years.
Source: Scientific American Mind, April/May 2006 (Subscription required)