title: Health problems and marital satisfaction among older couples.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Older couples are likely to be confronted with health problems of both spouses and these health problems may negatively influence their marital satisfaction. The present study examined these possible negative effects using a dyadic perspective.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 78 independently living older couples were analyzed using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM). Health problems were modeled as a latent factor of functional disability, the number of chronic diseases, and self-rated health. The couple's health context, that is, similarity or dissimilarity, was examined with an actor-partner interaction variable.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For wives, spousal health problems were negatively associated with their marital satisfaction, but only under the condition that their own health was relatively good. For husbands, neither own nor spousal health problems were associated with their marital satisfaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Future research focusing on older couples needs to consider the couple's health context next to health at the individual level.
authors.affiliation: VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marga
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korporaal
authors.forename: Marjolein I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Broese van Groenou
authors.forename: Theo G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: van Tilburg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D036301:Qualitative Research; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: actor–partner interaction; dyadic data; health problems; marital satisfaction; older couples