How married partners affect each other's health from midlife to later life
How Spouses Influence Each Other's Health in Same- and Different-Sex Marriages: A Dyadic and Longitudinal Assessment from Mid to Later Life
['FUNDING_R37'] · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · NIH-11367333
This project explores how partners in same-sex and different-sex marriages influence each other's health behaviors, mood, and physical health as they age.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R37'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (AUSTIN, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11367333 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you joined, both you and your spouse would complete detailed surveys about your relationship, health history, and daily habits, and each would keep short daily diaries for 10 days to capture everyday stress and behavior. The team originally collected data from 419 married couples (838 individuals), including same-sex male, same-sex female, and different-sex pairs, and is building a longitudinal dataset to follow changes over time. Researchers compare how partner interactions relate to drinking, mental health, and physical health from midlife into later life. The study uses dyadic methods to see how each spouse affects the other's health across years.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Legally married U.S. adults in midlife (roughly ages 35–65 at baseline) who have a spouse willing to participate, including same-sex and different-sex couples.
Not a fit: Unmarried people, individuals without a spouse willing to join, or those far outside the midlife age range are not included and may not benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reveal ways partners can protect and improve each other's mental and physical health, guiding couple-focused support and interventions for older adults.
How similar studies have performed: Long-term dyadic research on different-sex couples has linked spouse behaviors to health outcomes, but applying these longitudinal dyadic methods to compare same-sex and different-sex marriages is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
AUSTIN, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN — AUSTIN, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: UMBERSON, DEBRA J. — UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
- Study coordinator: UMBERSON, DEBRA J.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.