Marriages more Likely to End When Wife is Ill

Your marriage vows stated that you and your spouse would stay married “in sickness and in health.” But will that really happen?

Not if the woman is sick, according to statistics. Researchers investigated this vow and found that marriages are about seven times more likely to end when the wife becomes seriously ill than when the husband does. But the good news is that no matter which spouse is ill, most marriages do not end.

Research published in February 2025 in the Journal of Marriage and Family shows the results of an 18-year study. Three Italian social scientists tracked more than 25,000 heterosexual couples over the age of 50 from 27 European nations.

The participants were surveyed frequently over the years and asked about their health, depression, any limitations they had, whether they needed help from their partner for everyday tasks, and whether the couples were still together.

The researchers looked separately at the couples who were between the ages of 50 and 64 and the couples in which one partner was at least 65 years old. For the 50- to 64-year-olds, when the wife was in poor health but the husband was in good health, their marriage was more likely to end. When the husband was in poor health but the wife wasn’t, the couple was not more likely to divorce.

The researchers saw the same pattern for spouses suffering everyday limitations. When the wife’s ability to perform the tasks of everyday life was severely limited but her husband’s wasn’t, the couple was more likely to divorce. But if the situation was reversed and it was the husband who had severe limitations, the marriage was not more likely to end.

The same pattern emerged for depression. When a wife was depressed but her husband wasn’t, the couple was more likely to divorce. When the husband was depressed and the wife wasn’t, there was no difference in the likelihood to divorce.

Depression was more of an issue for couples with one spouse over the age of 65. If the wife was depressed but the husband wasn’t, the marriage was more likely to end. But if the husband was depressed and the wife wasn’t, there was no increased risk of divorce.

Why are divorces more likely when a wife gets ill? While the scientists did not test any explanations, they suggest that it is typically the wife who serves as the caregiver and men are not prepared for that role. So when the wife does get ill, the man is unable to effectively step up and it causes immense stress in the marriage. This is especially true when a man goes into a marriage expecting to be cared for. When they are the ones who have to do the caregiving, many will leave.

Seek Legal Help

Caregiving is not an easy task and many men don’t want to step up when their spouse is ill.

It’s a sad situation that often leads to divorce. If you are in this situation, count on Fort Lauderdale divorce lawyer Edward J. Jennings, P.A. to guide you through the process with ease. Schedule a consultation by calling 954-764-4330 or filling out the online form.

Source:

psychologytoday.com/us/blog/living-single/202503/more-marriages-end-when-wives-get-sick-than-when-husbands-do