a new study published in AJPH indicates that adults who are cohabitating have midlife health outcomes that are similar to adults in formal marriages. So in terms of the benefits specific to marriage, we can probably strike "longer, healthier life" from the list.
The study in question used 10,000 subjects from the British national Child Development Study, a birth cohort study that includes all people born in Britain during one week in March 1958. Participants were able to select their partnership status as married, cohabitating, or single. Health was measured using blood and inflammatory biomarkers, as well as respiratory capacity. The researchers controlled for previous socioeconomic status, previous health status, educational attainment, income, employment, and other demographic variables.
The study's results varied by gender. Among men, those who had never married/cohabitated displayed poorer overall health than men who were married during the observation period. By contrast, not marrying or cohabitating had less of a detrimental effect on women than on men. For women, the timing of the marriage mattered. Those who were married in their late 20s or early 30s had the overall best health, beating out both women who had married in their early 20s and women were never married/cohabitating.
Does co-habitating with cats or dogs count?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by acid andy on Wednesday August 12 2015, @11:11PM
There was a discussion about it a week or two ago. The point was made that some of the very scientific or technical topics get very few comments (especially when compared to political topics or others that stir up subjective opinions) and someone said it's sometimes hard to think of a worthwhile comment and it was agreed that ending the submission with a thought provoking question or quip will often help kickstart at least some extra comments.
I agree personally. I think almost any input from the submitter and / or an editor is better than a mindless copy / paste that adds nothing to the story that wasn't already available elsewhere.
If a cat has kittens, does a rat have rittens, a bat bittens and a mat mittens?