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Widowhood
A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has died. Terminology The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed ''widowhood''. An archaic term for a widow is "relict," literally "someone left over". This word can sometimes be found on older gravestones. The word "widow" comes from an Indo-European root meaning "widow" and has cognates across Indo-European languages. The male form, "widower", is first attested in the 14th century, by the 19th century supplanting "widow" with reference to men. The term ''widowhood'' can be used for either sex, at least according to some dictionaries, but the word ''widowerhood'' is also listed in some dictionaries. Occasionally, the word ''viduity'' is used. The adjective for either sex is ''widowed''. These terms are not applied to a divorcé(e) following the death of an ex-spouse. Effects on health The phenomenon that refers to the increased mortality rate after the death of a spouse is called the ''widowhood ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Widowhood Effect
The widowhood effect is the increase in the probability of a person dying during a relatively short period after their long-time spouse has died. The pattern indicates a sharp increase in the risk of death for the widower particularly, but not exclusively, in the three months after the death of their spouse. This process has also been called "dying of a broken heart". Being widowed leads to an increased likelihood of developing severe mental disorders. This can be partially attributed to the unanticipated decisions widows have to make with regard to the death of their spouse. Responses of grief and bereavement due to the loss of a spouse increase vulnerability to psychological and physical illnesses. Religious differences A 2009 study by Abel and Kruger compared the likelihood of death for Catholic widows, as compared to Jewish widows, based on the graves of Jewish and Catholic couples in the Midwest. The data suggested that the widowhood effect was stronger in Jewish couples tha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Widows Centre 4
A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has died. Terminology The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed ''widowhood''. An archaic term for a widow is "relict," literally "someone left over". This word can sometimes be found on older gravestones. The word "widow" comes from an Indo-European root meaning "widow" and has cognates across Indo-European languages. The male form, "widower", is first attested in the 14th century, by the 19th century supplanting "widow" with reference to men. The term ''widowhood'' can be used for either sex, at least according to some dictionaries, but the word ''widowerhood'' is also listed in some dictionaries. Occasionally, the word ''viduity'' is used. The adjective for either sex is ''widowed''. These terms are not applied to a divorcé(e) following the death of an ex-spouse. Effects on health The phenomenon that refers to the increased mortality rate after the death of a spouse is called the '' widowhood ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
