Some people feel very strongly that they don’t want to get married, but they’re probably missing out on a pretty significant health advantage if they choose to stay single.
Marriage was once thought of as something that was necessary and inevitable, but people’s attitudes have changed over the years. Now, people are not only waiting until later in life to get married, but many are also choosing to forego matrimony altogether. While being single is undeniably attractive to some people, there are some disadvantages that go beyond how you file taxes.
According to new research, married people are less likely to be diagnosed with cancer than single people.
It turns out that deciding if you want to get married has deeper implications than just whether you want to be legally bound to someone else. A study published in Cancer Research Communications concluded that married people have a lower risk of developing cancer.
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Researchers examined data from people 30 and older across the U.S. for the study. They found that “ever-married adults consistently showed lower cancer risk.” Ever-married people were described as anyone who was “married, separated, divorced, or widowed.”
Never-married people were found to have “substantially higher cancer incidence.” Specifically, never-married men had a 68% higher rate of developing cancer than ever-married men, while never-married women had a 83% higher chance.
These findings could provide important insights into cancer to the scientific community.
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There are certain environmental and genetic risk factors that make it more likely for some people to develop cancer, but the disease is also considered pretty random. Even those who live perfectly healthy lives can be diagnosed without any real answer as to why.
The researchers felt like their findings proved that some forms of cancer had more “modifiable etiologies,” meaning that social factors play a bigger role in whether someone is diagnosed. According to a USA Today report on the study, married people were less likely to engage in unhealthy habits like smoking, which directly affected lung and esophageal cancer statistics.
Similarly, married women typically have a greater chance of having children, which reduces the risk for endometrial, ovarian, and other cancers. This doesn’t mean married people are immune or untouchable, but it does show that they may be making some choices that are better for their health.
This is far from the only health benefit of marriage.
Previous research has shown that married people tend to live longer lives than single people and are at a lower risk for depression. They also have a decreased risk of heart attack and stroke, and recover from major operations more easily. And, in the case that they are diagnosed with cancer, they have a better chance of beating it.
Much of this is due to healthier habits, like abstaining from smoking and going to the doctor more often. Married people also have a stronger support system, which improves their mental health. Some studies suggest that they even have healthier immune systems.
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Of course, someone can be in the happiest and healthiest marriage in the world, and that still doesn’t mean they have no chance of being diagnosed with cancer. Plenty of people in strong relationships have been forced to reckon with their health and mortality because of an unexpected diagnosis that turned their world upside down.
It’s also difficult to say with certainty that everyone should get married just for the possible health benefits. Some people just aren’t prepared for that kind of commitment at any point in their lives, and they have no interest in being so closely linked to another person. They shouldn’t derail the vision they have for their lives that they know is right for them based on a hypothetical chance.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
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