title: Increases in blood glucose in older adults: the effects of spousal health.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The death or illness of a spouse negatively affects a partner's health, but little is known about the effect on blood glucose (glycemic) levels. This study investigates the extent to which a spouse's declining health or death is associated with changes in the glycemic levels of older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data come from a nationally representative longitudinal sample of 597 Taiwanese (aged 54 to 90). We use changes in spousal health and death of a spouse to predict changes in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels over a 6-year period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A decline in spousal health is associated with increased HbA1c levels for women, but not for men. The death of a healthy spouse is associated with increased HbA1c levels for both genders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stressful life transitions may compromise the glycemic levels of older adults. Taking on a caregiving role may erode some of the benefits of marriage and interfere with women's maintenance of their own health.
authors.affiliation: Princeton University, NJ, USA chiounl@princeton.edu.
authors.forename: Chioun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Princeton University, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Germán
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Dana A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Glei
authors.affiliation: Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Maxine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weinstein
authors.affiliation: Princeton University, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Noreen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Goldman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003643:Death; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D018454:Spouses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human
keywords: Taiwan; blood glucose; gender; spousal health