Flu Shots More Effective in the Happily Married

Here’s another reason to get married. A study in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity reports that bereavement and widowhood reduce the immune response older people have to a flu shot, whereas those seniors who are happily married have a stronger response. Eighty men and 104 women, all over 65, had their antibody response analyzed at 1 and 12 months after a single flu shot. They filled out questionnaires about life events in the previous year, such as health, family and marital relationships, housing, finance, etc. Only bereavement was associated with a lowered antibody response at 1 month – a 70% reduction.

Of course, bereaved persons may exercise less and eat less well than those still happily married. But the researchers measured these activities and found they didn’t affect the immune response. This rather confirms that the effect is psychologically rather than physically produced. The answer: stay married to a good person, and keep them healthy!