A Happy Marriage & Smart Wife May Prompt Men to Get a Colonoscopy.
According to new study, older men are more likely to have a colonoscopy if they’re happily married and have a highly educated wife. The study looked at more than 800 older married couples and found that married men were nearly 20% more likely to have undergone a colonoscopy to screen for colon cancer in the past five years than single men. The rate increased to nearly 30% higher among men in happy marriages, and over 40% higher if their wife had a college degree. Study director Dr. William Dale adds, “Women are thought to control the health capital in most households. They act as health gatekeepers, overseeing their husband’s health choices and directing decisions at the margins. Her decisions influence both partners.”
University of Chicago, March 2016