The Correlation between Illness and Divorce

 Posted on May 20, 2014 in Divorce

When two people get married, their vows may include to love "in sickness and in health," "for richer or poorer," or perhaps the most famous, "till death do us part." Yet there are always stories throughout various media outlets illustrating how marriages can end after a few short hours, especially when celebrities are involved. However, based on the findings of a recent Health and Retirement study, serious illness can be a major contributing factor when it comes to divorce.

As reported by the The Huffington Post, a Health and Retirement study was conducted between the years of 1992 and 2010 and was comprised of 2,717 married couples. The main focus of the study centered on couples who had two healthy spouses. The study thus measured how the marriages progressed when a spouse fell sick with a serious illnesses. And by the conclusion of the study, 47 percent of the couples were impacted by a new illness.

The results showed that 30 percent of the marriages ended in divorce, with nearly a quarter of the marriages ending in widowhood. However, the rest of the couples remained married.

One of the greatest contributing factors which led to the couples divorcing was gender. If the wife was the one who fell ill, the marriage was more likely to end in divorce. In fact, overall, 15 percent of marriages with a sick wife ended with divorce. Also, if the illness had to do with heart or lung problems, divorce was more likely when compared to other illness.

One expert states how women are more likely to take care of a sick husband because she feels that divorced men have better relationship prospects even in old age than women do.

If you have fallen ill and are now facing the possibility of divorce, talk to a trusted and experienced divorce attorney in your area. Divorce after a long marriage can be complicated when it comes to the division of assets. Contact an Illinois divorce attorney today.