Marital status, health, and use of health services. An old relationship revisited.

Historical data indicate that married persons live longer on the average than unmarried persons and that they generally make less use of health care services. These facts are increasingly important in view of the growing proportion of "singles" in the US population. The complex cause-and-effect relationship between marriage and better health has long been recognized, but there is now some indication that the relationship is less strong than before. Despite lack of precise knowledge on many aspects of this issue, two facts are clear: perceptions of health, illness, and "need" for health care are constantly changing and as the family's role in health has declined, there has been a concurrent rise in the "need" for, and cost of, the external health care system. The future of these trends depends, in part, on the future of the American family.