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Gender differences in widowhood in the short-run and long-run: Financial, emotional, and mental wellbeing

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  • Streeter, Jialu L.

Abstract

The vast majority of studies of the widowed have concentrated on women. Less is known about whether differences in financial and emotional wellbeing after bereavement vary systematically with the gender of the surviving spouse. This paper analyzes the consequences of widowhood on the economic resources and emotional and mental stability of men and women in the United States. Data are from the 1992–2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). A panel fixed-effect model is adopted to estimate the impact of widowhood on household size-adjusted income, family wealth, affects, and somatic symptoms.

Suggested Citation

  • Streeter, Jialu L., 2020. "Gender differences in widowhood in the short-run and long-run: Financial, emotional, and mental wellbeing," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 17(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joecag:v:17:y:2020:i:c:s2212828x20300232
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jeoa.2020.100258
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Stefania Ilinca & Ricardo Rodrigues & Stefan Fors & Eszter Zólyomi & Janet Jull & Johan Rehnberg & Afshin Vafaei & Susan Phillips, 2022. "Gender differences in access to community-based care: a longitudinal analysis of widowhood and living arrangements," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1339-1350, December.
    2. Zhao, Yuejun & Inder, Brett & Kim, Jun Sung, 2021. "Spousal bereavement and the cognitive health of older adults in the US: New insights on channels, single items, and subjective evidence," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).

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